Prime Minister Kishida Reportedly Visiting Seoul for Bilateral Summit from May 7-8
Here is another development in the improving ties between South Korea and Japan:
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to visit South Korea later this month, in what appears to be a move to gain the upper hand over Seoul in trilateral relations between South Korea, Japan and the U.S.
Korea Times
Citing multiple government officials from both the South Korean and Japanese governments, Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Sunday that the prime minister will visit Seoul from May 7 to 8. It will be his first trip to South Korea since taking office.
The newspaper reported that the visit is aimed at responding to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s visit to Japan in March, during which the South Korean leader showed his willingness to improve chilled bilateral relations.
The South Korean presidential office did not confirm this, but admitted that “consultations are ongoing” over the prime minister’s visit to South Korea.
If it takes place, the visit will be the first by a Japanese prime minister since February 2018, when Shinzo Abe made one on the occasion of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics here. In terms of bilateral diplomacy, however, it will be the first visit since October 2011, when Yoshihiko Noda visited Seoul for a summit with then-South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.
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Korea can greatly benefit from Japanese tourists and good relations between the countries will help “big business” as well as defense.
Yes, agreed with setnaffa. This benefit of tourists is sorely needed since the US economic interference and IRA counteracts against the South Korean economy have made the South Korean economy lose 25% of its exports. Exports to the US and EU are down by minus 10% due to IRA law. Exports to China are minus 27%, with Korea registering a rapidly increasing trade deficit with China, thanks to the IRA bill which prevents South Korean chips and exports to China, plus the big Chinese retaliation that was triggered by Yoon’s big mouth.
Thank you, USA, you are a good friend to South Korea, or should I say SK is a vassal state of the US. Instead of hitting China, the US is HELPING China, at the expense of South Korea which is taking hits from both China and the US, from the left and the right.