Japan and South Korea Cement Thaw at Nara Summit With Security and Tech Agenda

Overview

• Takaichi and Lee held their second meeting in three months and reaffirmed that closer ties should help both countries contribute to regional stability.
• The leaders underscored coordination with the United States while stating they will keep communication open with China to support peace in Northeast Asia.
• Interagency discussions will begin to bolster supply‑chain resilience, expand cooperation on artificial intelligence, and strengthen intellectual‑property protections.
• They pledged to continue shuttle diplomacy, with a visit by Takaichi to South Korea planned though not yet scheduled.
• Cultural diplomacy punctuated the visit, including a drum duet in Nara and a joint stop at Horyuji Temple, while a Japan–China–South Korea summit planned for December was postponed.