Overview
- President Lee Jae Myung hosted a Cheong Wa Dae luncheon for former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Seoul.
- Lee credited Ishiba with reviving “shuttle diplomacy,” which means regular reciprocal leader visits, through summits in Tokyo and Busan.
- Ishiba said he made the Japan–South Korea relationship his top diplomatic focus during his one year in office.
- Speaking at the Asan Plenum in Seoul, Ishiba called for a gradual move toward a NATO-like collective security framework in the Indo-Pacific.
- Ishiba welcomed Lee’s strong working ties with current Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, signaling continuity in engagement.