New PM Ishiba, Yoon Agree to Continue Shuttle Diplomacy

Tokyo, Oct. 2 (Jiji Press)--New Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol agreed Wednesday to communicate closely, including through the continuation of so-called shuttle diplomacy, or mutual visits to each other's countries.

In their telephone conversation a day after Ishiba was elected prime minister, the two leaders also shared a commitment to making the current positive Japan-South Korea ties sustainable, as next year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Emphasizing his intention to continue the diplomatic policy of his predecessor, Fumio Kishida, Ishiba told Yoon that close cooperation between Japan and South Korea is essential for both sides in the current strategic environment.

Yoon congratulated Ishiba on his assumption of office and expressed hopes for the new Japanese leader's stance on building stronger relations.

They confirmed that their countries and the United States will work together to deal with North Korea's nuclear and missile development. The president expressed support for Tokyo's efforts to resolve the issue of Japanese abductees in North Korea.

Speaking to reporters after the phone talks, Ishiba voiced his hope to hold his first summit with Yoon on the sidelines of upcoming meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Laos, which he is seeking to attend on Oct. 10 and 11.

Ishiba also held a phone meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the same day, in which they agreed to continue cooperation in security and other fields. They also agreed to promote collaboration under the Quad framework comprising Japan, Australia, the United States and India, as well as with like-minded countries including South Korea.

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