[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who visited Japan to attend the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony, is reported to have met alone with Emperor Naruhito immediately after the opening ceremony.
According to South Korea-Japan diplomatic sources on the 25th, Ban met with the Emperor late at night on the 23rd after the opening ceremony ended at the Olympic Stadium (New National Stadium) located in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
The meeting took place at the Emperor's request and lasted about 10 minutes in the VIP room of the New National Stadium.
Ban congratulated the opening of the Olympics, and Emperor Naruhito expressed his gratitude. It is also reported that Ban and the Emperor shared a mutual understanding of the need to improve South Korea-Japan relations.
It is also known that Emperor Naruhito and Ban Ki-moon built a friendship through connections such as the 'Water Forum.'
Considering that the Emperor requested the meeting with Ban close to midnight, there is a possibility that some form of conversation related to South Korea-Japan relations took place.
Ban Ki-moon visited Japan on the 19th and returned the day before. During his visit, he watched the men's soccer qualifying match between South Korea and New Zealand held in Ibaraki Prefecture, encouraged the South Korean Taekwondo team athletes, and met with representatives of Korean residents in Japan.
He was re-elected as chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Ethics Commission on the 20th.
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