Leaders of Japan and South Korea discuss economy and regional challenges at summit

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi agreed to step up cooperation between the neighbors, as they both face growing uncertainty and regional challenges.

“I believe cooperation between Korea and Japan 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,” Lee said at the outset of the summit Tuesday.

Takaichi said she renewed her determination to further improve Japan’s relations with South Korea “as I believe the two countries should cooperate and contribute for the stability in the region.”

“This year I will elevate Japan-South Korea relations even higher,” said Takaichi, who aims to secure stable ties with Seoul while Tokyo struggles with a worsening dispute with China.

Lee was in Beijing last week for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. During the visit, the South Korean president told reporters that relations with Japan are as important as those with China but that South Korea’s ability to broker reconciliation between its neighbors is limited.