South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday made Japan his first destination abroad as leader for talks with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo that focused on putting the neighbors’ historical baggage behind them and boosting economic and security cooperation.
The two leaders agreed that, in addressing “various challenges facing the international community,” Japan and South Korea, “as partners, must work together to advance future-oriented and mutually beneficial common interests,” according to a joint statement released by the leaders — the first joint document released in 17 years.
In remarks at the outset of their meeting, Ishiba lauded Lee’s decision to visit Japan — the first by a South Korean president to come before a trip to the United States, the two Asian nations’ mutual ally, since Tokyo and Seoul normalized diplomatic ties in 1965.
