President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held a summit on Nov. 19 in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province — President Lee's hometown — and agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation on supply chains and energy, including a crude oil swap. It was the two leaders' third meeting, following talks in Gyeongju last October and in Prime Minister Takaichi's home prefecture of Nara, Japan, in January, and the sixth Korea-Japan summit since President Lee took office. The "shuttle diplomacy" between the two countries' leaders, restored in 2023 after a 12-year hiatus, appears to be taking root. Ahead of the summit, President Lee stressed, "With storms raging across the international landscape, cooperation and communication among allies are needed more than ever," adding, "We are realizing just how important a partner each country is to the other."
Prime Minister Takaichi's visit carries great strategic significance for both Korea and Japan. Amid energy and supply chain instability stemming from the Middle East, U.S. tariff pressure, and a turbulent security environment in Northeast Asia, the need for Korea-Japan coordination has grown more urgent than ever. The recent summit in Beijing between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping clearly exposed President Trump's diplomatic and security outlook — treating Taiwan's security as a "bargaining chip" with China — as well as China's elevated standing. Ahead of a China-Russia summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, China also flexed its military muscle by deploying an aircraft carrier strike group to the western Pacific. Under such circumstances, joining hands with Japan, with which Korea shares substantial interests, is not a choice but a necessity. That is also why President Lee personally greeted Prime Minister Takaichi with "state visit-level" treatment.
The compound economic and security crises confronting Korea and Japan are running high. With President Trump downplaying alliances and partners and shifting his East Asia security strategy, confidence in the U.S. security umbrella is weakening, while the alignment among North Korea, China and Russia is deepening. There is also concern over what kind of "bill" President Trump may present to allies lukewarm about supporting his stance on Iran. To strengthen Korea's negotiating leverage with Washington and protect its national interests on economic and security issues — including non-tariff barriers and adjustments to the role of U.S. Forces Korea — Seoul must build a joint economic and security defense line with Tokyo. Using a robust Korea-Japan partnership as leverage, Korea should bolster trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan and make headway in follow-up discussions on the joint fact sheet with the U.S., including the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines and revisions to the Korea-U.S. nuclear energy agreement.
