South Korea courted by China and Japan as leaders meet amid their spat

Time reports Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung on Tuesday at a summit in Takaichi’s home prefecture of Nara, as Seoul becomes a focal point in an escalating China–Japan dispute. Both leaders spoke of improving Korea–Japan ties after 60 years of diplomatic normalization: Lee called for closer cooperation, and Takaichi said she hoped to elevate relations.

The visit follows Lee’s trip to Beijing a week earlier. China has responded to Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan with travel advisories, an apparent informal ban on Japanese entertainment, reimposed restrictions on seafood imports and, on Jan. 6, announced controls on more than 800 dual‑use goods to Japan that include some rare earths and related technologies.

Tokyo has protested Beijing’s measures and is seeking support from allies and advanced economies, including South Korea, to guard against supply and economic fallout. Lee has portrayed a cautious, balancing approach: speaking in Shanghai after meeting Xi, he said, “If we intervene at the wrong time, it may not be helpful,” and in an NHK interview he suggested the China–Japan dispute is for those two countries to resolve.

Key Topics

World, South Korea, China, Japan, Lee Jae-myung, Sanae Takaichi