This is not AI! Sana Gao and Lee Jae-myung drum and perform KPOP video exposure, what did the Japan-Korea leaders say during their meeting

Recently, during a meeting between South Korean and Japanese leaders, Sano Takashi and Lee Jae-myung engaged in “drum diplomacy,” performing a KPOP song together. Both sides focused on supply chain resilience and maintained diplomatic space on the Taiwan Strait issue.

Japan-Korea Leaders Meeting: Sano Takashi and Lee Jae-myung’s Drum Diplomacy Video Released

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung recently visited Japanese Prime Minister Sano Takashi, and after their talks on January 13, the Japanese side prepared a surprise “drum diplomacy” activity.

Sano Takashi, who was a heavy metal band drummer in college, personally guided Lee Jae-myung in drumming techniques, and the two performed BTS’s “Dynamite” and the theme song “Golden” from the anime “KPOP Witch Group.”

Perhaps because the image of both national leaders drumming simultaneously was too rare, some Taiwanese media, after reposting the Japanese government’s publicly released video, even exclaimed: “So this isn’t AI-generated!?”

Japan-Korea Shuttle Diplomacy Focuses on Economic Security and Supply Chain Resilience

Beyond relaxed cultural exchanges, Sano Takashi and Lee Jae-myung also held a serious approximately 90-minute meeting that afternoon, during which China was not mentioned.

According to a press release from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sano Takashi and Lee Jae-myung confirmed the continuation of the “shuttle diplomacy” mechanism of leader visits, and reached a consensus on economic security guarantees, especially on building supply chains for critical materials like semiconductors, with in-depth discussions to be held.

Regarding regional security situations, both reaffirmed the importance of Japan-Korea and US-Japan-Korea trilateral cooperation to address North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.

Image source: Japanese Cabinet Office photo Japan-Korea Leaders Meeting: Focus on Economic Security and Supply Chain Resilience

South Korea’s “JoongAng Ilbo” also mentioned that, although Lee Jae-myung pointed out that restoring Japanese seafood imports in the short term is difficult, he also linked this issue to seeking Japanese support for South Korea’s accession to CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership), indicating that both sides are trying to find breakthroughs in economic and trade cooperation amid disputes.

Lee Jae-myung Does Not Intervene in China-Japan Issues, Keeps Diplomatic Space

Since Sano Takashi took office and made remarks about “Taiwan matters,” along with the Chinese government’s strong responses, China-Japan relations have become increasingly tense.

In response, Lee Jae-myung revealed in an NHK interview that he told Xi Jinping face-to-face during their meeting: “For South Korea, relations with Japan and China are equally important.”

Lee Jae-myung also disclosed that Xi Jinping clearly holds a very negative view of Japan’s stance on Taiwan. He believes that each country has core interests and survival considerations, and the conflicts arising from the Taiwan issue are fundamentally issues between China and Japan; South Korea should not deeply intervene or interfere.

These remarks show that South Korea, while strengthening the US-Japan-Korea alliance, still seeks to maintain a certain level of strategic ambiguity and diplomatic maneuvering space amid escalating China-Japan tensions.

Further Reading:
Investing 1 trillion yen in AI, 55 billion yen supporting anime and gaming! Details of Sano Takashi’s strong economic ambitions.
Lee Jae-myung elected South Korean president! A review of three major crypto policies—Korean won stablecoin is about to be born?