Drumsticks, not diplomacy, steal show at Japan–South Korea summit Video

After a day of intense discussions on nuclear weapons, critical minerals and economic security, the leaders of Japan and South Korea put policy aside and picked up drumsticks.

On the night of January 13 in Nara, Japan’s ancient capital, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hosted President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea for a summit meeting that ended with an unexpected jam session, Caliber.Az reports via The New York Times.

Ms. Takaichi, an amateur heavy metal drummer, invited Mr. Lee — who had no prior drumming experience — to join her for an impromptu performance following their joint news conference.

Inside a hotel conference room, the two leaders sat at adjacent drum sets and played along to K-pop hits, including BTS’s “Dynamite.” They wore matching blue track jackets with their names written across the front, drawing applause from an audience of aides as the session unfolded over about 20 minutes.

“It’s hard to match the rhythm, isn’t it?” Mr. Lee said at one point.

“No, no, no!” Ms. Takaichi responded. “You did it well! You were amazing!”

The lighthearted performance was designed to underscore improving relations between Japan and South Korea at a time of deep geopolitical uncertainty. Both countries are navigating tensions with China and adjusting to what officials see as increasingly unpredictable US foreign policy, even as they reaffirm a three-way security partnership with Washington established in 2023.

Relations between Tokyo and Seoul have long been strained by the legacy of World War II and Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. Ms. Takaichi, a hard-line conservative, has argued that Japan’s wartime atrocities have been overstated, while Mr. Lee comes from a party traditionally skeptical of closer ties with Japan. Yet in recent months, the two leaders have forged a notably warm rapport.

Mira Rapp-Hooper, a partner at The Asia Group, called the musical moment “a really charming and quite savvy play by both leaders,” saying it reflected a broader shift toward pragmatic cooperation.

“They understand that Japan and South Korea are now vital partners,” she said.

Mr. Lee later wrote that the performance initially “felt a bit awkward,” but added, “We were a bit off beat, but tried to stay in sync. Similarly, we’ll work together to build a future-oriented relationship between our countries.”

By Sabina Mammadli