South Korea’s President Visits Japan Ahead of Meeting with Trump

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Japan on Saturday for a summit aimed at strengthening security ties between the two neighbouring countries, just ahead of his scheduled talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday.
This marks Lee’s first official trip to Japan since he assumed office in June. He is set to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the official residence in Tokyo to discuss regional cooperation, particularly within the framework of a trilateral security agreement involving the United States.
Lee’s rise to power—following a snap election triggered by the impeachment of his conservative predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, over the imposition of martial law—initially raised concerns in Tokyo about a potential shift in diplomatic tone. Lee has previously voiced skepticism about earlier reconciliation efforts, which have been strained by unresolved historical tensions stemming from Japan’s colonial rule over Korea from 1910 to 1945.
Tensions were further heightened last week when Seoul criticised a visit by Japanese officials to a controversial Tokyo shrine honouring war dead, which many South Koreans associate with Japan’s military aggression during the early 20th century.
Nevertheless, Lee has expressed support for improving ties with Japan. During a meeting with Prime Minister Ishiba at the G7 summit in Canada in June, he emphasised the importance of collaboration.
Despite lingering issues, both countries remain aligned on key strategic matters. As close allies of the United States, they play a critical role in counterbalancing China’s growing influence in the region. Together, Japan and South Korea host approximately 80,000 U.S. troops, along with a significant presence of American naval and air forces.
In Washington, President Lee and Trump are expected to cover a range of security topics, including the regional threat posed by North Korea, relations with China, and the financial burden-sharing for U.S. military deployments in South Korea—a topic Trump has repeatedly brought up.
On the economic front, Japan and South Korea also share a mutual stance on trade policy, having recently agreed to impose 15% tariffs on certain U.S. goods in response to previous threats of higher levies from Washington.