South Korea's Lee Visits Japan for Summit Amid China Tensions, Taiwan Dispute

Lee will stay in Nara Prefecture, Takaichi's home prefecture, for two days as part of reciprocal leader-level visits dubbed 'shuttle diplomacy,' aimed at sustaining the recent momentum in improved relations.

It will mark Lee's second visit to Japan following his trip last August for talks with Takaichi's predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba, and his third meeting with Takaichi since she took office in October.

Lee and Takaichi first held summit talks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Gyeongju in late October and briefly met again during the Group of 20 leaders' gathering in South Africa in November.

The meeting comes days after Lee's state visit to China for summit talks with President Xi Jinping, at a time of heightened tensions between Beijing and Tokyo following Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan.

In an interview with Japan's NHK on Monday, Lee stressed that South Korea's "relations with Japan are as important as relations with China" and said that their tensions over Taiwan are not a matter Seoul will "engage in or intervene in."

South Korea's ban on seafood imports from eight Japanese prefectures is also expected to be on the agenda as Tokyo has long demanded that Seoul lift the restrictions imposed in 2013 over radiation concerns following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

In the interview, Lee said easing the restrictions would take time until public concerns are alleviated but noted that the issue is a major item on Seoul's diplomatic agenda as it seeks Tokyo's support for its bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

North Korea is also likely to be discussed as both leaders have expressed interest in engaging Pyongyang, Yonhap news agency reported.

Lee welcomed Takaichi's expression of intent to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un over the abduction issue, offering to play a role in facilitating dialogue between Tokyo and Pyongyang and even help the two sides move toward establishing diplomatic ties.

Historical issues are also expected to be on the agenda as the Lee administration pursues a 'two-track' approach of expanding future-oriented cooperation while continuing to address unresolved wartime history issues from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea.

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac voiced hope that the upcoming talks will help advance cooperation in efforts to recover the remains of Korean forced laborers from the Chosei undersea coal mine in Japan's western Yamaguchi Prefecture, where a flood in 1942 killed 136 Koreans.

On Wednesday, the two leaders are scheduled to attend diplomatic events together, including a visit to Horyuji Temple, which houses the world's oldest surviving wooden structures and is Japan's first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lee is also scheduled to meet with members of the Korean community in Japan before returning home later in the day.

- IANS