Japan, US, South Korea set to meet during G-7 summit to bolster ties

The leaders of Japan, the US and South Korea plan to hold a trilateral meeting in Hiroshima this week on the sidelines the Group of Seven nations summit to try to strengthen coordination and to respond to common challenges, according to a South Korean official.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are expected to discuss “strategic coordination measures” to upgrade cooperation to face “shared challenges” including North Korean nuclear threats, supply chain problems and energy security, Kim Tae-hyo, principal deputy national security adviser of the presidential office, said at a briefing Sunday. 

The announcement of the meeting follows a recent summit between South Korea and Japan, at which the leaders of the two US allies agreed to cooperate on North Korea and enforce a deal to resolve their historical disagreements. 

Yoon and Kishida acknowledged at the meeting in Seoul last week the importance of collaboration with the US in addressing security challenges posed by North Korea. The Japanese premier also expressed remorse for the hardships inflicted during Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula from 1910-1945, and expressed optimism for continued dialogue with South Korea.

Yoon is a staunch supporter of Washington’s Asia strategy, which includes Biden’s initiative to restructure global supply chains with a goal of reducing reliance on China.

While Japan announced in March that it will broaden restrictions on exports of 23 types of advanced chipmaking technology, its trade officials have insisted that these restrictions are not specifically targeted at China.

The delicate balancing act with their largest trading partner, China, remains to be a complex challenge for the US allies and is being tested as the US and Beijing spar over a range of issues, from technology to alleged Chinese spy activities and China’s partnership with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During his three-day visit to Hiroshima, Yoon is also expected to give a speech at a meeting expanded to include leaders from countries that aren’t G-7 members, according to Kim. A range of topics including food security, healthcare, climate change and energy development are likely to be discussed, Kim said.

Yoon and Kishida will likely visit the Korean atomic bomb victims’ memorial in Hiroshima Peace Park, he said.