President Lee Jae Myung (right) on Oct. 30, 2025, poses for photos with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi before their summit on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. (Cheong Wa Dae)

By Kim Hyelin

President Lee Jae Myung from Jan. 13-14 will visit Japan's Nara Prefecture, the hometown of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, to attend a bilateral summit with her.

This is his second visit to Japan since his inauguration and the first since the prime minister took office.

National Security Office Director Wi Sung-lac on Jan. 9 told a briefing, "President Lee from Jan. 13-14 will visit Nara Prefecture, the hometown of Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi, to hold a bilateral summit."

The director said both leaders had discussed holding talks in Nara as part of shuttle diplomacy, something that took shape after an official invitation came from Tokyo.

On Jan. 13, both sides will hold exclusive talks, followed by an expanded meeting, joint news release, one-on-one discussions and dinner. They are expected to cover regional and global issues and stronger cooperation in sectors related to daily life including the economy, society and culture.

The following morning, they will make a friendly visit to Horyuji Temple, one of Nara's leading cultural heritage sites.

President Lee later that day will attend a meeting with ethnic Korean residents of Osaka and the Kansai region before flying home.

This will be President Lee's second summit with Prime Minister Takaichi and their third meeting. Their first talks were in November last year on sidelines of the APEC Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, and their second in South Africa that same month during the summit of the G20 group of advanced and developing economies.

kimhyelin211@korea.kr