South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung and Japan PM Takaichi hold landmark hometown summit

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are set to hold their fourth summit on Tuesday, highlighting efforts by the two neighboring nations to further strengthen bilateral ties amid growing geopolitical challenges in the region. Lee will host Takaichi in his hometown of Andong in southeastern South Korea, a city widely known for its centuries-old folk village recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Earlier in January, the two leaders had met in Takaichi’s hometown of Nara, one of Japan’s ancient capitals.

The reciprocal hometown visits mark the first time serving leaders of South Korea and Japan have traveled to each other’s hometowns for official meetings. South Korea’s presidential office said it hopes the summit will help deepen trust and cooperation between the two leaders. Discussions are expected to focus on economic and energy cooperation, the ongoing Iran conflict, and the future of bilateral relations, which currently face no major diplomatic disputes. Experts believe the talks are likely to proceed smoothly and keep relations between the two countries on a positive course.