Kishida: "No Scheduled Japan-Korea Summit Meeting Triggered by NATO"

Senate Election on the 10th Next Month, Postponing Improvement in Korea-Japan Relations
President Yoon and Kishida Likely to Hold 'Full Aside' Talks

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated on the 25th that there are no plans to hold a Korea-Japan summit meeting during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit.

Prime Minister Kishida, speaking to reporters at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Tokyo on the same day, was asked whether a Korea-Japan summit would be held during the NATO summit. He replied, "At this point, there is no plan for a bilateral meeting," adding, "We will consider what to do based on Japan's consistent position."

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Prime Minister Kishida will attend the NATO summit held in Madrid, Spain, from the 29th to the 30th.

The Japanese government is postponing discussions on improving relations, including a Korea-Japan summit, which could influence the upcoming House of Councillors (upper house) election scheduled for the 10th of next month.

However, in connection with the NATO summit, they are coordinating the holding of multilateral meetings such as the relatively less burdensome Korea-US-Japan summit and the four-nation summit involving South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

There is also a possibility that President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida may meet in an informal 'pull aside' meeting format without strict protocol.