ISTANBUL 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to hold her first face-to-face meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported, citing a diplomatic source.

Takaichi will travel to South Korea later this week to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, it said.

She aims to convey to Lee her intention to steadily develop "future-oriented" bilateral ties and hold frequent summits through reciprocal visits by the two leaders, as her predecessor Shigeru Ishiba did, it said.

Takaichi called South Korea an "important neighbor" on her inauguration day and expressed her eagerness to meet with Lee soon.

There has been no confirmation so far on the possible meeting from the South Korean side.

South Korea's presidential office earlier said that consultations were ongoing to arrange Lee's first summit with Takaichi on the sidelines of the APEC summit, according to Yonhap News Agency.