Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited Andong, Republic of Korea, on 19 May 2026, for a bilateral summit with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung as part of ongoing shuttle diplomacy between the two countries. The two leaders held a joint press conference after the meeting.
Andong is President Lee’s hometown. The visit reciprocated President Lee’s earlier trip to Nara, the hometown of Prime Minister Takaichi, in January 2026, continuing what both governments describe as “hometown summits” as part of their shuttle diplomacy framework. It was the fourth meeting between the two leaders in approximately six months.
At the joint press conference, Prime Minister Takaichi stated, “Following our previous meeting in Nara and now here in Andong, our respective hometowns, I feel that this quick succession of ‘shuttle diplomacy’ has further strengthened and deepened the friendship and trust between President Lee and myself.”
The two leaders had a candid exchange of views on overall Japan-ROK relations and the situation in the Indo-Pacific region, bearing in mind the situation in the Middle East. They recognised the strategic importance of Japan-ROK relations and agreed to maintain and strengthen the positive atmosphere between the two countries.
The two leaders affirmed the importance of supply chain cooperation between Japan and the ROK, including for critical minerals, and agreed to actively promote such cooperation under the Supply Chain Partnership Arrangement signed in March 2026.
They agreed to launch a Japan-ROK cooperation initiative under “POWERR Asia”, announced the previous month, built on two pillars: strengthening energy supply resilience, including stockpiling, in the Indo-Pacific region; and enhancing energy security for both countries through mutual supply and swaps of crude oil, petroleum products, and LNG.
Prime Minister Takaichi stated at the joint press conference: “In order to realise a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, it is important for Japan and the ROK to work together and play their respective roles to enhance autonomy and resilience of countries in the region and support regional supply chains.”
Both leaders confirmed that Japan and the ROK would continue discussions between the relevant authorities on artificial intelligence and economic security, with the aim of promoting mutually beneficial cooperation for their shared strength and prosperity.
The two leaders welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation on Japan-ROK cooperation on countering organised fraud, recognising it as a shared challenge for both nations.
Prime Minister Takaichi closed the joint press conference with a forward-looking note: “Our next meeting will take place in Japan. I very much look forward to welcoming the President and taking him to one of our country’s beautiful destinations.”
