Japan's outgoing Premier Kishida flies to South Korea for last summit with Yoon

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Japan's outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Friday flew to Seoul for his last summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Dubbing his trip as “practice of shuttle diplomacy,” Kishida said: “At the summit meeting (with Yoon), I would like to discuss cooperation between the two countries under the current strategic environment.”

It would be the 12th summit between the two leaders since Kishida was elected to office in 2021.

This could possibly be the last meeting between Kishida and Yoon as the Japanese prime minister would be stepping down later this month when the country’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party elects its new leader on Sept. 27.

Historically at odds over Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula, Tokyo and Seoul have, however, improved relations in recent years.

Ahead of his two-day trip to South Korea, Kishida said his discussions with Yoon will also review “further development of bilateral relations” as the two nations mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations next year.

Yoon visited Tokyo in March, resuming high-level visits between the two nations.