Takaichi to visit Lee's hometown of Andong next week for talks

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will visit Korea's central city of Andong next week for a two-day trip that will include summit talks with President Lee Jae Myung, the presidential office announced Friday.

The Japanese prime minister's trip, set to begin Tuesday, is part of the regular diplomatic exchanges termed "shuttle diplomacy" that occur between the two neighboring countries and comes at an earlier invitation from Lee.

Lee and Takaichi last met in January when the Korean president visited Nara Prefecture, the Japanese leader's hometown. Andong, located some 190 kilometers (118 miles) from Seoul in North Gyeongsang Province, is Lee's hometown.

The presidential office said Takaichi's upcoming trip will mark the first exchange of visits by incumbent leaders of South Korea and Japan to each other's hometowns.

On the first day of Takaichi's trip, the two leaders will hold summit talks, deliver a joint press statement and attend a dinner, along with other amity-building events, according to The Blue House.

Their discussions will likely focus on the direction of bilateral relations and ways to strengthen cooperation in various areas, including the economy and better protection for the countries' people visiting each other.

The prolonged conflict in the Middle East and other pending global issues will also be high on the agenda, The Blue House said.

The office said the upcoming summit as part of "shuttle diplomacy" is expected to deepen the "solid solidarity and trust" between the two leaders, and serve as an opportunity to strengthen the foundation for the future-oriented development of Seoul-Tokyo ties.

Yonhap