ISTANBUL

Officials from the US, Japan, and South Korea on Friday met in Tokyo, reaffirming their trilateral cooperation initiated since the presidency of the US’ Joe Biden.

Attending the meeting were Japan’s Vice Foreign Minister Funakoshi Takehiro, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, and South Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoonjoo, said a joint statement released in Tokyo.

“In light of the increasingly severe strategic environment that the three countries face,” the statement said, the three sides affirm that the strategic coordination of US alliances with Tokyo and Seoul “are the foundation for effective trilateral cooperation.”

They expressed “serious concerns” over North Korea’s nuclear and missile development, calling for the country’s “complete denuclearization.”

According to the statement, the three sides “reaffirmed that they would work closely together in addressing issues such as the advancement of Russia-North Korea military cooperation.”

They discussed regional situations including in the East China Sea and South China Sea, affirming that “any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion is unacceptable,” said the statement, emphasizing the “importance of peace and stability” across the Taiwan Strait.

The officials also discussed economic security and enhancing supply chain resilience, including for critical minerals.