By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young

President Lee Jae-myung held a summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on June 17 (local time) in Kananaskis, Canada, where the G7 summit is being held. The two leaders have focused their discussions on ways to promote development in both South Korea and Japan.

In particular, they agreed to bolster three-way cooperation with the United States to respond to geopolitical crises, including North Korea.

During the summit, Lee and Ishiba exchanged opinions on ways to maintain regional peace and stability and agreed that the two countries should seek closer cooperation.

The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to resuming shuttle diplomacy and advancing related discussions between their respective governments.

Lee also told Ishiba that South Korea and Japan should foster future-oriented cooperation amid challenges in global trade.

Lee called Japan an "inseparable" nation that shares the same front yard with South Korea, expressing hopes the two nations can advance their bilateral ties in a future-oriented manner.

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba also stressed the importance of the bilateral relations amid mounting geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and expressed hope that cooperation would be boosted at all levels to mark the 60th anniversary of normalizing the diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Ahead of his trip, Lee delivered a video message to an event commemorating the anniversary, during which he called for the nations to work together for a better future.