The Japanese and U.S. governments confirmed the importance of trilateral cooperation among Japan, the United States and South Korea to denuclearize North Korea at a meeting of Japanese and U.S. foreign and defense ministers on Tuesday.
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is poised to deal with North Korea by strengthening cooperation with its allies and other countries.
The United States is evaluating "all available options" to address the threat from North Korea, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a joint press conference held after the so-called 2-plus-2 meeting.
Washington is concerned that the administration of South Korean President Moon Jae-in has taken a conciliatory attitude toward North Korea.
Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin were to visit South Korea after Japan with the aim of coordinating the countries' policy on North Korea.
The strained relationship between Japan and South Korea is also an obstacle to Tokyo, Washington and Seoul working together closely.
Biden, who as vice president of the administration of President Barack Obama urged both Japan and South Korea to improve their relations, may once again act as a mediator between the two countries. However, Japan's position is that there is no room for compromise with South Korea.
During telephone talks with Biden in January, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga mentioned the issues of so-called comfort women and lawsuits involving former requisitioned workers from the Korean Peninsula. Suga is believed to have sought understanding from Biden that Seoul's flouting of international law in its handling of the issues is the cause of the deterioration in Japan-South Korea relations.
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