Diplomacy Journal David Kendall Editor | NARA, Japan (Jan. 13) — Lee Jae-myung on Monday became the first South Korean president to visit Nara Prefecture, holding a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and calling for a “new era” of strategic cooperation between the two neighboring countries.
The visit was marked by unusually warm hospitality from the Japanese side. From Lee’s arrival in Osaka to his transfer to Nara, Japan provided top-level security and protocol. In a surprise gesture, Prime Minister Takaichi personally greeted President Lee at his lodging—an appearance not included in the original schedule.
President Lee expressed appreciation for the gesture, saying, “The people of the Republic of Korea will also be grateful for the prime minister’s thoughtful and sincere hospitality.”
During the summit, the two leaders reviewed the past 60 years of diplomatic normalization and agreed to expand cooperation that delivers tangible benefits to citizens of both countries. They pledged to move beyond trade-centered relations toward deeper collaboration in economic security, advanced science and technology, and responses to shared social challenges.The leaders also agreed to strengthen joint responses to online scams and other transnational crimes. Japan will participate in a Korea-led international police cooperation framework, supported by a newly adopted agreement. On sensitive historical matters, the two sides agreed to pursue DNA testing to identify the remains of victims from the 1942 Chosei Coal Mine flooding accident—which came to light last August—signaling continued efforts to address unresolved issues from the colonial period.
President Lee and Prime Minister Takaichi reaffirmed their shared commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and to close coordination on North Korea policy. They also agreed to work together on regional stability, peace, and responses to global challenges amid an increasingly complex international order. Following their joint press conference, the leaders continued discussions in a relaxed setting highlighted by an unexpected cultural event prepared by the Japanese side. Wearing matching blue uniforms, the two sat side by side behind sets of drums made by Japan-based Pearl, an international leader in percussion instruments. The two performed an impromptu drum session.
The leaders played along to K-pop tracks, including “Golden” from the animated hit movie K-Pop Demon Hunters and BTS’s “Dynamite,” turning the event into a symbolic moment of cultural exchange and rapport. President Lee remarked, “I fulfilled a lifelong dream today. I've wanted to play the drums since I was young.” Prime Minister Takaichi personally explained basic drumming techniques as she led the session.
As a commemorative gesture, Prime Minister Takaichi presented President Lee with a pair of drumsticks. The two leaders signed and exchanged the sticks. The uniforms worn during the event featured both national flags and the leaders’ names in English, underscoring mutual respect and friendship.
Speaking at the expanded summit session, President Lee highlighted the symbolic significance of meeting in Nara, historically a hub of cultural exchange between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. He emphasized that, amid global uncertainty and strategic competition, closer Korea–Japan cooperation in security, supply chains, and advanced technologies is “more crucial than ever.”
Prime Minister Takaichi echoed the sentiment, expressing hope to further institutionalize bilateral ties. Analysts note that this was President Lee’s fifth summit with a Japanese prime minister since taking office and his second with Prime Minister Takaichi, pointing to a phase of greater stability and more regular high-level dialogue between Seoul and Tokyo.
