Final arrangements are being made for Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio to make a two-day visit to South Korea from Sunday, where he will meet President Yoon Suk-yeol following their summit in Japan earlier this year.

It would be the first trip to South Korea by a Japanese prime minister since Abe Shinzo visited the country in 2018.

The leaders are expected to confirm that their countries will boost security collaboration to address issues including North Korea's nuclear and missile development.

They will also likely discuss economic security cooperation in semiconductor and other areas, as well as export controls between their countries.

Kishida's expected trip to South Korea would come after his meeting with Yoon in Tokyo in March and before the Group of Seven summit in the Japanese city of Hiroshima from May 19 to 21.

Kishida is apparently hoping that visiting South Korea at this time will ensure the two countries are firmly back on track toward mending ties.

Kishida and Yoon agreed in their March meeting to normalize bilateral ties and resume mutual visits by the leaders of the two nations for the first time in more than a decade.

The summit materialized after the South Korean government unveiled its plan to settle a wartime labor issue that has strained bilateral relations for years.

Kishida is currently on a tour of four African nations and Singapore. He will return to Japan on Friday.