Press Releases
Japan-ROK Consultations on Common Social Issues (First session)
September 29, 2025
On September 29, the first Japan-ROK Consultations on Common Social Issues was held in Tokyo with Senior Deputy Minister Takeshi Akahori and Deputy Minister for Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea Kim Heesang as the Chief Delegates. Representatives from other relevant ministries from Japan and the ROK also attended. The consultations was held based on the Japan-ROK Summit Meeting in August 2025, where the two leaders had concurred on the necessity to jointly address common social issues both countries face as well as the establishment of the framework for consultations between relevant ministries from the two governments to share policy experience and seek for solutions for those issues together.
- Both sides reaffirmed the importance of jointly addressing common social issues, such as low birthrate and aging population, regional revitalization and overconcentration in the capital region, agriculture, disaster management and suicide countermeasures. Together with relevant ministries and agencies, both sides discussed the current cooperation in each field and the direction of future cooperation through this framework.
- Low Birthrate and Aging Population
Japan: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Children and Families Agency
Korea: Ministry of Health and Welfare, Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy - Regional Revitalization and Overconcentration in Capital Region
Japan: Cabinet Secretariat HQ for the Creation of New Regional Economies and Living Environments, Cabinet Office for Decentralization Reform, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Korea: Presidential Committee for Decentralization and Balanced Development, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport - Agriculture
Japan: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Korea: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs - Disaster Management
Japan: Cabinet Office Disaster Management Bureau
Korea: Ministry of the Interior and Safety - Suicide prevention
Japan: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Korea: Ministry of Health and Welfare
- Low Birthrate and Aging Population
- Senior Deputy Minister Akahori mentioned that both countries are committed to developing the Japan-ROK relations in a future-oriented and stable manner based on the foundation of the Japan-ROK relations which has been established since the normalization of relations in 1965. He stated that continuing communication and sharing wisdom between officials from both governments would lead to expanding new horizons in Japan-ROK relations. Both sides confirmed to continue dialogue steadily in each field, expecting that this consultations would help find beneficial solutions for both societies.