日 "First telephone talks with Prime Minister Ishiba and President Yoon since taking office"

New Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held his first telephone conversation with President Yoon Suk Yeol today (2nd), Kyodo News reported, citing a Japanese government official.

The news agency said Prime Minister Ishiba is likely to have expressed his intention to continue the trend of improving relations between former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Yoon ahead of the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan next year.

He added that the two leaders may have discussed strengthening cooperation between South Korea and Japan to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile development.

Prime Minister Ishiba spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden for the first time as a foreign leader this morning and expressed his commitment to strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance and cooperation among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan.