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Japan-ROK Summit Meeting Monday, April 21, 2008 JAPANESE

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Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, together with Mrs. Kiyoko Fukuda, welcomed Mr. Lee Myung-Bak, the President of the Republic of Korea (ROK), and Mrs. Kim Yoon-Ok at the Prime Minister's Official Residence, where the two leaders held a meeting. At the meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed the importance of the summit shuttle diplomacy, in which context they confirmed that Prime Minister Fukuda will visit the ROK during the second half of this year. Also, it was confirmed that President Lee, on Prime Minister Fukuda's invitation, will attend an outreach session of the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit scheduled to be held on July 9. On other topics, they discussed a wide range of cooperation in the areas of economy and people-to-people exchanges, including the enhancement of the Japan-ROK Working Holiday Program, which has been playing a significant role in nurturing understanding and friendship between the younger generations of the two countries. They also expressed their expectations for the future activities of the Japan-ROK Business Summit Roundtable, which was launched to enhance economic exchanges between the two countries. Furthermore, on North Korea, Prime Minister Fukuda explained to President Lee Japan's policy of seeking to comprehensively resolve nuclear, missile, abduction, and other outstanding issues, based on the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration, and to settle the unfortunate past, and thereby normalize Japan-North Korea relations at an early date, to which President Lee expressed his understanding and support. After the meeting, the two leaders received a report from the representatives of the business communities of Japan and the ROK, who took part in the 1st meeting of the Japan-ROK Business Summit Roundtable. In the joint press conference that followed, Prime Minister Fukuda said, "I intend to engage in frank talks with President Lee, so that we can cooperate to open the way toward a new era for Japan and the ROK." In the late evening, the Prime Minister, together with Mrs. Fukuda, hosted a banquet, inviting President and Mrs. Lee as well as others concerned from the Japanese and Korean sides, and said, "A matured partnership that is built by the peoples of Japan and the ROK in various areas through joint public-private sector efforts forms the very foundation of a new era for Japan and the ROK. I, in close cooperation with President Lee, will support such efforts by the peoples of our two countries." Related link: Joint Japan-ROK Leaders' Press Conference Japan-Republic of Korea Relations (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)