Blinken, new Japanese foreign minister share concerns on North Korea -U.S. State Dept

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press briefing with Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, at the OECD's Ministerial Council Meeting, in Paris, France October 6, 2021. Patrick Semansky/Pool via REUTERS

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Japan's new foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi to reaffirm the U.S.-Japanese alliance, the State Department said on Thursday.

The two also shared their concerns about North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs in Wednesday's call, it said. They "reaffirmed their commitment to address and resolve these issues through U.S.-Japan-Republic of Korea trilateral cooperation towards complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

Japan's new Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi arrives at prime minister's office in Tokyo, Japan October 4, 2021. REUTERS/Issei Kato

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu)