South Korea’s Lee Heads to Japan Summit After China Talks
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is set to travel to Japan for a bilateral summit, just a week after holding talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The closely timed visits underline Seoul’s effort to manage relations with both Tokyo and Beijing amid shifting regional dynamics.
Focus on Security and Economy
During the Japan visit, Lee is expected to meet Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to discuss security cooperation, economic ties and regional stability. Key agenda items include coordination on North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes, supply chain resilience, and cooperation in advanced technologies such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence.
Balancing Regional Relationships
Lee has maintained that South Korea aims to pursue pragmatic diplomacy, avoiding alignment with any single regional bloc. His recent engagement with China followed by talks in Japan reflects an attempt to balance ties with two of South Korea’s most important neighbours while safeguarding national interests.
The summit also comes amid efforts to strengthen trilateral cooperation between South Korea, Japan and the United States, even as historical and political sensitivities continue to shape Seoul–Tokyo relations.
