The leaders of South Korea and Japan held a joint press event after summit talks in Tokyo that lasted nearly two hours, until around 6:50 p.m. Saturday.

President Lee Jae Myung said he and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba conducted frank discussions on various issues and agreed to release a document on the outcome.

It is the first time in 17 years that the leaders of the two countries will release such a document.

Emphasizing that summit diplomacy between the two countries has resumed, Lee said the two leaders held in-depth discussions on the direction of bilateral relations, avenues of substantive cooperation, the North Korean nuclear issue and major global issues.

In the area of economics, the two sides talked about cooperation to create synergy in future industries, such as hydrogen power and artificial intelligence.

On social issues, the leaders agreed on the need for a joint response to shared challenges such as declining births, aging populations, the concentration of populations in capital cities, agriculture, and disaster safety, and they decided to launch a consultative body to seek solutions.

Lee and Ishiba reaffirmed their resolve to pursue the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and establish lasting peace, agreeing to continue close coordination on North Korea policy, and Lee highlighted the importance of bilateral ties and trilateral security cooperation with the U.S.

Welcoming the resumption of summit diplomacy, Ishiba said that despite some difficulties stemming from their proximity as neighboring nations, he expects the two countries to implement consistent policies.

Ishiba also said the summit talks brought a useful exchange of opinions on a wide range of issues and that the two leaders agreed to enhance strategic communication on economics and security.