South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plan to meet in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, next week as part of a reciprocal “hometown visit” exchange. South Korean officials say the trip is scheduled for May 19–20, with Takaichi visiting at Lee’s invitation after Lee visited Nara, Japan, in January—Takaichi’s hometown—four months earlier. The meetings are expected to include both small-group and expanded summit talks on May 19, followed by a joint press announcement and an official dinner. The leaders are also expected to participate in separate friendship and cultural programs.
Both outlets frame the visit as an extension of a personalized diplomatic relationship between the two leaders, at a time when regional security concerns and broader shifts in international dynamics—particularly involving the United States and China—contribute to uncertainty in Northeast Asia. Discussion topics are described as covering the future direction of Korea–Japan relations and efforts to strengthen practical cooperation affecting citizens’ livelihoods, including economic cooperation.
