Japan-ROK Summit Meeting (Summary)
On September 6, commencing at 3:35 p.m. for approximately 100 minutes, Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan held a Summit Meeting with H.E. Mr. YOON Suk Yeol, President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) during his visit to Seoul. The summary of the meeting is as follows. (The small-group meeting commenced at 3:35 p.m. and lasted for approximately 45 minutes; the plenary meeting commenced at 4:20 p.m. and lasted for approximately 55 minutes).
At the outset, Prime Minister Kishida stated that he was delighted to have their twelfth summit meeting as part of practicing “shuttle diplomacy.” President YOON also provided similar remarks.
The two leaders overviewed the progress in the Japan-ROK relations and affirmed the direction to continuously enhance bilateral cooperation and exchanges towards next year, which marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of the Japan-ROK relations. The two leaders also concurred on the importance of ensuring that the fruits of the Japan-ROK relationship, which has made great strides on the back of the trust between the two leaders, can be felt by the people of both countries in a concrete manner. In this context, the two leaders concurred that they will have the two governments consider what specific measures can be taken, including the possibility of facilitating smoother entry procedures of nationals of one country into the other in both Japan and the ROK. They also welcomed the recent signing of the Japan-ROK Memorandum through diplomatic channels on cooperation of protecting each other’s nationals in third countries, as a symbol of the expanding scope of the bilateral relationship.
The two leaders had a candid exchange of views, especially on the recent security issues, including the situation in North Korea. They concurred on working closely together bilaterally and trilaterally among Japan, the ROK and the US, including at the UN Security Council, regarding the current situation of serious concern relating to North Korea including the advancement of Russia-North Korea military cooperation. President Yoon reiterated his support on the immediate resolution of the abductions issue. Prime Minister Kishida reaffirmed to support a unified Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace, as expressed in the joint statements at the Japan-ROK-US Summit held last year at Camp David. The two leaders recalled that their leadership helped usher in a new era of trilateral cooperation among Japan, the ROK and the US, and welcomed that the trilateral cooperation has been expanding globally beyond the Indo-Pacific.
The two leaders also exchanged views on other international affairs. Prime Minister Kishida stated that Japan and the ROK can actively coordinate as partners on various global issues, and that such coordination is expected of them in the international community. The two leaders concurred on further coordination between the two countries on such global issues.
The two leaders affirmed that they would work with each other for the success of the EXPO 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan and the 2025 APEC meetings in the ROK.
The two leaders affirmed that the two governments would continue to communicate closely with one another.
