Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and new South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met for the first time Tuesday on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in western Canada, as the two leaders look to maintain continuity in stabilizing ties.
The South Korean leader called Japan an “inseparable” nation that shares the same front yard with his country and emphasized the need for “future-oriented cooperation” amid global trade challenges, the Yonhap news agency reported Wednesday, as both countries grapple with unilateral tariffs imposed by their mutual ally, the United States.
“As challenges in the international trade environment and global affairs continue to grow, I believe close and complementary partners like the Republic of Korea and Japan can greatly benefit from cooperating in many areas,” Lee told Ishiba, referring to South Korea by its official name.