Will President Lee Meet Ishiba Before Trump? Unusual Change in Japan-US Visit Order

[Financial News] There is a possibility that President Lee Jaemyung will meet Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru before his first summit with US President Donald Trump. While it is anticipated that President Lee will hold a Korea-US summit in Washington DC on the 25th, reports from Japan suggest that a Korea-Japan summit will be held in Tokyo on the 23rd. It is considered unusual as no previous government has delayed a visit to the US for a summit compared to a visit to Japan.
However, as this year marks the 80th anniversary of Liberation, the importance of the meeting between the Korean and Japanese leaders has increased. Moreover, as the Trump administration demands the modernization of the Korea-US alliance and the Korea-Japan-US alliance, a new change in diplomatic relations with Japan is necessary. Previously, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun also met with Prime Minister Ishiba unusually at the end of last month before his first visit to the US. 
On the 9th, the Asahi Shimbun reported, citing multiple government officials, that the governments of Korea and Japan are coordinating to hold a summit between the two countries in Tokyo on the 23rd.
The newspaper stated, "(President Lee Jaemyung) seems to have the purpose of showing a pro-Japan stance by visiting Japan before visiting the US," and introduced some reports from Korean media that a Korea-US summit will be held in Washington DC on the 25th.
It also mentioned that Foreign Minister Cho Hyun visited Japan for the first time since taking office on the 29th of last month and then immediately went to the US, saying, "The Lee Jaemyung administration seems to prioritize stable relations with Japan in responding to the Donald Trump administration."
The Yomiuri Shimbun also reported, "The governments of both countries are considering holding a summit centered on the 23rd," and "President Lee Jaemyung intends to emphasize the importance of Korea-US-Japan cooperation by visiting Japan and the US consecutively." If President Lee visits Japan this time, it will be his first visit to Japan since taking office, and 'shuttle diplomacy' between the two countries' leaders will also resume.
Meanwhile, President Trump, who is scheduled to hold a summit with President Lee, will first hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 15th (local time). President Trump stated in a post on his social media that he will meet President Putin in a week.
rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyungsoo Reporter