Japan and South Korea plan to hold their first ever deputy minister-level diplomatic and defense 2+2 consultations next month to strengthen security cooperation
According to sources in Tokyo, the Japanese and South Korean governments are preparing a new consultation mechanism between senior officials from both countries' foreign ministries and defense ministries at the deputy minister level, coordinating to hold the inaugural meeting in Seoul early next month. This move aims to enhance security collaboration, particularly focusing on developments involving countries such as North Korea.
Although Japan and South Korea have previously held director-level consultations between their foreign and defense ministries, during a meeting in January between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Hata and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, both leaders reaffirmed the importance of trilateral strategic cooperation—including security cooperation—among Japan, South Korea, and the United States.
As a result, Japan and South Korea are establishing a new "2+2" deputy minister-level consultation mechanism. The first meeting is scheduled to take place in Seoul early next month, with Japan’s Director General for Foreign Affairs, Kenji Funakoshi, and Defense Policy Advisor Yukio Kano expected to attend.
According to NHK, given the increasingly tense security situation in East Asia, discussions are likely to center on how to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, as well as ways to expand bilateral defense cooperation to further strengthen security ties.
In light of the growing security challenges in East Asia, the Japanese government intends to leverage trust between leaders to maintain and strengthen friendly relations and deepen cooperation with multiple parties, including the United States.
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1863530396577800/
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