"The World and Japan" Database (Project Leader: TANAKA Akihiko)
Database of Japanese Politics and International Relations
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS); Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), The University of Tokyo

[Title] Press Conference by Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru regarding His Upcoming Visit to the Republic of Korea

[Place]
[Date] September 30, 2025
[Source] Prime Minister's Office of Japan
[Notes] Provisional translation
[Full text]

(On Prime Minister Ishiba's aims in visiting the Republic of Korea to hold a summit meeting with President LEE Jae Myung as part of "shuttle diplomacy," how Mr. Ishiba plans to pass the baton on Japan-ROK relations to the next administration, and the areas of discussion he plans to cover with President Lee)

This visit follows President Lee Jae Myung's visit to Japan late last month and puts into practice the "shuttle diplomacy" that the leaders of Japan and the ROK have been pursuing.

Since President Lee came to Japan last time, this time I will head to the ROK. Our meeting will take place in Busan, as President Lee wishes to hold the meeting in a regional city, rather than Seoul.

In the current strategic environment, both Japan-ROK relations and Japan-ROK-U.S. cooperation are becoming all the more important. It is imperative that both governments maintain close communication so that our bilateral relations continue to advance in the future, building on the outcomes of our recent summit.

From that perspective, and since this year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of Japan-ROK relations, during this meeting we will discuss cooperation between our governments, further developing our bilateral relations, and social issues that Japan and the ROK hold in common. There are a number of issues we both face, including our dramatically declining populations and the disproportionate concentration of people and institutions in our capital cities. I intend to have a candid exchange of views with President Lee in light of the many shared challenges that our nations face.

As I mentioned just now, the distance involved in our "shuttle diplomacy" makes day trips highly workable, with the flight time for today's visit being only about two hours. Intensifying this kind of "shuttle diplomacy," increasing the frequency of our mutual visits, and enhancing the relationship of trust that exists between our two countries will be of the utmost importance in fostering the future peace and stability of the region. Moreover, Japan and the ROK truly face a remarkable number of issues in common. Discussing such matters between us will help us identify better solutions more quickly, and I consider this to be extremely beneficial for the future of both Japan and the ROK. That is all.