Japan, US, and South Korea to Strengthen Trilateral Cooperation Amid Security Threats

Top defense officials from Japan, the US, and South Korea have pledged to enhance trilateral relations and cooperation in response to security threats from China and North Korea. The meeting in Tokyo marked the first such high-level defense gathering hosted by Japan. The nations urged North Korea to halt destabilizing activities and condemned its ties with Russia.

Top defense officials from Japan, the United States, and South Korea have committed to bolstering their trilateral relationships to counter escalating security threats from China and North Korea, Nikkei Asia reports. Representatives gathered in Tokyo on Thursday, marking the first high-level defense meeting hosted by Japan.

General Yoshihide Yoshida, Chief of Japan's Defense Ministry Joint Staff, along with General Charles Brown of the US and Admiral Kim Myung Soo of South Korea, led the discussions. A joint statement released after the meeting emphasized the need to strengthen security cooperation to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula, in the Indo-Pacific, and beyond. Additionally, they called on North Korea to stop its destabilizing actions immediately.

The trilateral alliance also condemned North Korea's closer ties with Russia and demanded a halt to its nuclear program. They opposed any attempts by China to alter the status quo in the Indo-Pacific and the South China Sea through forceful means. Prior to this, top officials from South Korea and Japan held their first similar talks in nine years.

Top defense officials plan to reconvene in South Korea next year. Additionally, the head of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, Felicity Oswald, identified China and North Korea as significant cybersecurity threats, stressing that the evolving Chinese cyber threat should concern everyone, as reported by Nikkei Asia.

(With inputs from agencies.)