Kishida and Yoon bond over sukiyaki, omurice and beer in Ginza

Jackets and ties come off during restaurant-hopping evening after summit

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, rear left, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, rear right, and their wives at the Yoshizawa sukiyaki restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza district. (Photo courtesy of Japan's Cabinet Office)

Nikkei staff writers

March 17, 2023 03:45 JST

TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol enjoyed dinner at two restaurants after their summit and news conference Thursday, deepening their relationship in a more informal setting.

The two leaders dined at sukiyaki restaurant Yoshizawa and long-established Western-style restaurant Rengatei, both in Tokyo's upscale Ginza district. Yoon is said to have found omurice -- a popular omelet-and-fried-rice dish that is a Rengatei specialty -- unforgettable on a previous trip to Tokyo.