Japanese PM considering visiting Lee's hometown for summit on May 19: Kyodo

President Lee Jae-myung shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi following their joint press conference after a summit in Nara Prefecture, Japan, Jan. 13. Newsis

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering visiting Korea later this month for a summit with President Lee Jae Myung in his hometown of Andong, Japanese media outlets said Saturday, citing diplomatic sources.

Japan's Kyodo News and other media outlets reported that Takaichi is expected to visit South Korea on May 19 for a two-day trip and hold talks with Lee in Andong, about 190 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on economic security cooperation, including energy and critical mineral supply chains amid the Middle East conflict.

Takaichi last visited South Korea in October, just nine days after she took office, and held talks with Lee on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in the southeastern city of Gyeongju.

In January, Lee visited Japan for a summit in Takaichi's hometown in Nara Prefecture.

The exchange of visits is part of "shuttle diplomacy" efforts between the two neighboring nations.