Also in Tokyo, President Moon held a number of sideline summits with the leaders of Japan and China.
Considering the flurry of diplomacy in this part of the world, taking center stage was North Korea.
Our chief Cheongwadae correspondent Moon Connyoung has the details. On the sidelines of the South Korea, Japan, China trilateral summit, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, on a day trip to Tokyo held multiple talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday.
President Moon's hour-long face to face with Prime Minister Abe at the Japanese head of government's office centered mostly on Mr. Moon's historic meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un... who's expected to have a summit soon with U.S. President Donald Trump.
"Prime Minister Abe stressed the importance of timing when it comes to easing sanctions on North Korea saying North Korea cannot be rewarded just for closing down its nuclear test site or not launching ICBMs; There must be additional, more specific action by North Korea. President Moon replied South Korea has no plans to do so without the consent of the international community."
The two leaders also discussed ways for lasting peace settlement on the Korean Peninsula and agreed that Japan will be able to play an important role in maintaining peace and prosperity in the Northeast Asian region.
Mr. Moon and Abe agreed that the issue of abduction victims is important for Japan in its efforts in normalizing diplomatic relations with North Korea.
The South Korean and Japanese leaders' fourth bilateral summit in the last year ended on a more celebratory note at a luncheon meeting that followed.
"I'd like to thank President Moon Jae-in for making this visit especially as he approaches his one year anniversary since being inaugurated."
"It's been a year since I took office. In the past year, I've communicated with the prime minister 16 times either in person or by phone."
Meanwhile, the mood on North Korea was noticeably different at a meeting between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang later in the afternoon.
The two agreed on the importance of their joint efforts to peacefully denuclearize North Korea and saw eye to eye on the need to seize this rare opportunity for peace settlement on the Korean Peninsula created by the inter-Korean summit and the North Korea, U.S. summit soon to take place.
"The two leaders agreed that the international community including the United States should actively participate in ensuring a brighter future for North Korea in the form of regime security and economic development support should the North carry out complete denuclearization."
Moon Connyoung, Arirang News.
