Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is "highly" likely to attend a reception hosted by the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo next week to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, sources said Wednesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, it has not been finalized, but as far as the diplomatic source knows, Ishiba's attendance is being positively considered, and his participation is highly likely. The South Korean Embassy is set to host the reception on June 19, shortly after the Group of Seven (G7) summit scheduled for Sunday through next Tuesday in Canada, during which President Lee Jae-myung and Ishiba are expected to meet in person for the first time.
During their first phone talks Monday, Lee and Ishiba agreed to deal with geopolitical crises under the framework of trilateral cooperation with the United States, also reaffirming the importance of bilateral ties between their countries. The Japanese Embassy to South Korea is also scheduled to host its own reception in Seoul on Monday, but Lee, who will be in Canada for the G-7 summit, is unlikely to attend in person due to a scheduling conflict.
Lee could instead deliver a video message to the Japanese Embassy event in Seoul. It has not been decided who will represent South Korea at the reception. Additionally, Akihisa Nakashima, an aide to Ishiba, is reportedly planning to travel to Seoul to attend the embassy reception and hold meetings with lawmakers and government officials. Another diplomatic source said Nakashima's trip is aimed more at engaging with South Korean lawmakers than at attending the reception.