Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will push for closer ties with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at a summit on Tuesday, as Tokyo struggles to draw a line under its widening diplomatic dispute with China.
Both sides will focus on security challenges and Takaichi is expected to avoid “divisive” issues, while Lee, who last week met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, will try to achieve a “neutral” stance, analysts say.
Lee’s two-day visit to Nara, Takaichi’s hometown, comes at a difficult time for Japan, which is grappling with China’s economic retaliation following the prime minister’s statement on Taiwan.
Takaichi said in November that a mainland Chinese use of force against Taiwan would be a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, justifying potential military action.
Last Tuesday, China imposed a ban on the export of dual-use items – goods with both civilian and military applications, including rare earth metals, minerals and semiconductors – to Japan.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. While many nations, including the US, do not officially acknowledge Taiwan as an independent state, they oppose any use of force to alter the existing status quo.