Seoul: South Korea and Japan are in the process of arranging summit talks between President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, set for mid-January in Japan's Nara Prefecture, according to a Japanese media report. According to Yonhap News Agency, the two nations are planning for the summit to occur around January 13-14 in Nara, the capital city of Nara Prefecture. The Mainichi Shimbun reported this, citing diplomatic sources. The historic Todaiji Temple, renowned for its Great Buddha Statue and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is being considered as a potential venue for the summit. Nara holds significance as it is the home prefecture of Prime Minister Takaichi. The upcoming meeting would be a follow-up to the leaders' last summit talks on October 30, held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Gyeongju, South Korea. They also briefly met during the Group of 20 leaders' gathering in South Africa last month. If the trip materializes, it will be Pre sident Lee's second visit to Japan after his August visit to Tokyo, where he held talks with Takaichi's predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba. This summit is seen as a reflection of the leaders' commitment to maintaining positive momentum in bilateral relations through "shuttle diplomacy," involving reciprocal visits. President Lee has expressed his intention to advance relations with Japan through a two-track approach that focuses on future-oriented cooperation while separately addressing historical and territorial issues. Despite these diplomatic efforts, tensions persist, particularly concerning territorial disputes. Lee's office recently reaffirmed that the easternmost islets of Dokdo are unquestionably South Korea's territory, countering Prime Minister Takaichi's renewed territorial claims to Dokdo.