Newsnomics AJAY ANGELINA reporter | 

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is scheduled to visit South Korea for two days from May 7~8, 2023 to further improve bilateral ties between the two nations.

On Tuesday, the South Korean presidential office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan simultaneously

announced that prime minister Kishida and his ruling Liberal Democratic Party is going to visit South Korea,

that will mark his first visit since he took office in October 2021.

The leaders of both countries will hold a Korea-Japan summit on May 7, with the same format as did the

South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol in March 16~17,2023.

Prime Minister Kishida's visit to Korea will be the first visit from Japanese prime minister within duration of five years and three months since February 2018, when Shinzo Abe made one on the occasion of the Pyeong

Chang Winter Olympics.

It will also be the first bilateral diplomatic visit since October 2011, when Yoshihiko Noda, Japanese former

prime minister visited Seoul for a summit with then-South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Prime minister Kishida who is on a tour of four African nations and Singapore said to the reporters in Ghana

that trip to South Korea would “give momentum to 'shuttle diplomacy” between the two nations.

Prime minister Kishida called the visit “a good opportunity to hold a candid exchange of opinions over

accelerating Japan and South Korea's relationship to strengthen their security cooperation to counter growing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea. 

“They are also likely to agree on the need to bolster trilateral cooperation among Seoul, Washington and

Tokyo for stronger nuclear deterrence against the North.” He added. 

Yuko, Prime minister’s wife will also accompany him during his visit to South Korea, said the presidential office.