Lee Jae Myung visits Nara for summit with Japanese PM Takaichi

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung travelled to Nara, in western Japan, on 13 January 2026 for a summit with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The visit was part of "shuttle diplomacy", an arrangement in which the leaders of the two countries take turns visiting each other's homeland for regular, informal talks.

Nara is the region Takaichi represents in parliament, and the choice of the ancient city as the venue was seen as a gesture of hospitality towards the Korean leader. The meeting followed earlier exchanges between the two leaders after Takaichi took office as prime minister in October 2025.

The summit mattered because Seoul and Tokyo have often struggled to keep ties stable, with disputes over history wartime issues and territory recurring. Both governments have also stressed the need to cooperate on regional security and the economy. The visit set the tone for continued contact between the two governments, and it later framed other exchanges, including events involving Korean residents in Japan.