Leaders of Japan and South Korea Agree to Increase Cooperation Amid Regional Tensions

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (R) shakes hands with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the start of their meeting in Nara, Japan, on Jan. 13, 2026. Issei Kato/APJapanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Jan. 13 agreed to increase cooperation, as both countries face regional security and diplomatic challenges.Lee is in Japan for a two-day summit and said at the outset that cooperation between Seoul and Tokyo “is now more important than ever and anything else, as we have to continue moving forward to a new, better future amid this complex, unstable international order.”