Fresh from China, South Korea president to visit Japan

The visit to Takaichi's picturesque hometown of Nara on Tuesday and Wednesday follows major Chinese military drills around Taiwan, and North Korea firing ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan. Tokyo and Beijing are also embroiled in a diplomatic spat triggered by Takaichi's suggestion in November that Japan could intervene militarily if China attacks Taiwan. Lee and Takaichi, who both took office in 2025, last met in October on the sidelines of the APEC summit in the South Korean city of Gyeongju.