Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stressed the importance of exchanges and cooperation between South Korea and Japan as the two nations mark the 60th anniversary of their normalization of diplomatic relations.

In a post on X on Thursday, Takaichi said the two nations have expanded exchanges and cooperation over the past six decades, and that people‑to‑people exchanges, in particular, have supported the current positive bilateral relationship.

She noted that amid today’s challenging strategic environment, it is important for the two sides to work together. The prime minister expressed hope that ties will deepen further through "shuttle diplomacy" between their leaders.

Takaichi recalled meeting President Lee Jae Myung on the sidelines of the Asia‑Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju in October and at the Group of 20 summit in South Africa in November.

She said the leaders agreed to develop relations in a future‑oriented and stable manner based on the foundation laid since the normalization of diplomatic ties.

The Treaty on Basic Relations, which reestablished diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan, was signed on June 22, 1965, and took effect on December 18 of that year.