Tokyo, Nov. 28 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba plans to visit South Korea in early January for talks with President Yoon Suk-yeol, people familiar with the matter said Thursday.

Ishiba hopes to maintain the momentum for improving ties between the two East Asian countries through their leaders’ mutual visits, Japanese government sources said.

He last had a tete-a-tete meeting with Yoon in Lima on Nov. 16 on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Cooperation forum summit.

With next year marking the 60th anniversary of the Japan-South Korea diplomatic normalization, Ishiba picked the neighboring country as his first official overseas trip destination in terms of bilateral diplomacy since he took office in October.

The visit would be materialized before the 2025 regular parliamentary session begins in Japan, government sources said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]