Lee, Ishiba discuss common challenges, swap Trump trade talk tips in summit talks
Published: 24 Aug. 2025, 15:23
Updated: 24 Aug. 2025, 15:28
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- SARAH KIM
- [email protected]
![President Lee Jae Myung, right, and first lady Kim Hea Kyung wave as they board the presidential jet at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Aug. 24, departing for Washington after completing a two-day visit to Japan. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/08/24/a3e93668-0996-4a23-b2f5-7f4a1a6d2bbc.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung, right, and first lady Kim Hea Kyung wave as they board the presidential jet at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Aug. 24, departing for Washington after completing a two-day visit to Japan. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
TOKYO — President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday wrapped up a two-day visit to Japan for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba that strengthened strategic communication between the East Asian neighbors amid the changing global trade order.
During their bilateral talks on Saturday, Lee and Ishiba devoted a significant amount of time to discussing tariff negotiations ahead of Lee’s upcoming summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said in a press briefing Sunday in Tokyo.
Lee and Ishiba’s summit on Saturday lasted over three and a half hours, longer than scheduled, and was an occasion to address shared challenges and discuss how to strengthen coordination on economic and security matters. It was followed by dinner joined by their spouses and an event aimed at strengthening friendly ties as the two countries work toward future-oriented relations.
![Korean President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung, center right and center left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, right, and first lady Yoshiko Ishiba, left, pose for a commemorative photo during an event promoting friendly ties at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 23. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/08/24/155907e4-c016-47b5-9bc6-408b7a2f96b8.jpg)
Korean President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung, center right and center left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, right, and first lady Yoshiko Ishiba, left, pose for a commemorative photo during an event promoting friendly ties at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 23. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
Wi noted that the Japanese side “shared their experiences and insights” regarding trade negotiations with the United States, calling the advice “incredibly helpful.” President Lee asked additional questions, Wi said, and was grateful for the input ahead of his first meeting with Trump.
Lee’s decision to visit Japan ahead of the United States, becoming the first Korean president to make a bilateral trip to Tokyo ahead of any other country, demonstrated how Seoul was taking the lead in its diplomacy, Wi said.
Wi said the trip demonstrated an “early resumption of 'shuttle diplomacy' between Korea and Japan” and is linked to Lee’s U.S. visit, as Seoul and Tokyo are aligned in many ways.
"Both Japan and the United States will view this as a positive step,” Wi said as he highlighted the growing importance of trilateral cooperation.
“In the past, when Korea-Japan relations were strained, the United States often took the lead in facilitating trilateral cooperation,” Wi said. “This time, Korea is taking the initiative by visiting Japan and then the United States.”
![National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac speaks at a press briefing on the results of President Lee Jae Myung's visit to Japan in Tokyo on Aug. 24. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/08/24/b05911c4-fa63-436a-a9b8-ec6d63a36d13.jpg)
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac speaks at a press briefing on the results of President Lee Jae Myung's visit to Japan in Tokyo on Aug. 24. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
This marks the two leaders’ second meeting in just 67 days, after their last talks at the Group of 7 summit in Canada.
The two leaders further discussed cooperation strategies in future industries such as hydrogen energy and AI.
The summit yielded a joint statement, the first of its kind in 17 years.
The Korean and Japanese leaders agreed to launch an intergovernmental consultative body to jointly address common challenges, share policy experiences and jointly seek solutions. This includes shared social issues like low birthrates, aging populations, regional revitalization, agriculture and disaster management.
The two leaders agreed in the statement to jointly respond to North Korea's illegal cyber activities and its deepening military ties with Russia, while underscoring the importance of addressing the North's nuclear and missile programs through dialogue and diplomacy.
On the other hand, sensitive issues such as historical disputes stemming from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over Korea, Tokyo's requests for Seoul to lift its ban on the import of Japanese seafoods and the Fukushima wastewater discharge were not prominently addressed during the summit.
Ishiba said he would adhere to a landmark joint declaration issued by Korean President Kim Dae-jung and Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi in 1998, which acknowledged the "tremendous damage and suffering” due to Japan’s colonial rule and expressed "deep remorse and heartfelt apology."
Wi said the issue of Japanese seafood imports was “not discussed in detail, and no specific consultations took place,” though the Japanese side expressed interest in the matter.
The dinner menu included Ishiba’s signature curry dish as well as Andong jjimdak, a Korean braised chicken dish.
Alcoholic beverages included featured Andong soju, a specialty of Lee's hometown of Andong, North Gyeongsang, and beer produced in Tottori Prefecture, Japan, Ishiba's hometown.
Wi said the menu reflection “cooperation, reconciliation and harmony between Korea and Japan."
After the dinner, Lee and Ishiba, accompanied by their spouses, held a separate private event to strengthen their friendship.
![President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hold one-on-one talks at a bilateral summit in Tokyo on Aug. 23. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/08/24/afe8a7cb-c610-455d-a199-32798b56163c.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hold one-on-one talks at a bilateral summit in Tokyo on Aug. 23. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
Lee later Sunday headed to the United States to hold a first summit with Trump at the White House on Monday, the culmination of weeks of trade negotiations and a chance to set the direction of the alliance.
On the agenda of the Korea-U.S. summit will be discussions to stabilize the economy and trade, modernize the bilateral alliance and explore cooperation in “new horizons,” according to Wi.
On Monday, Lee will hold a summit with Trump at the White House, seen as an occasion to give shape to a trade deal reached in late July in which Korea pledged a $350 billion investment package.
Lee, who will be flanked by a business delegation including heads of top conglomerates, will later attend a Korea-U.S. business roundtable. He will also deliver a speech at the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.
On Tuesday, Lee will travel to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he is expected to visit Hanwha Philly Shipyard, demonstrating his commitment to a $150 billion shipbuilding cooperation initiative with the United States dubbed the "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again" (MASGA) project.
Lee and Kim return to Seoul early Thursday.
BY SARAH KIM [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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