NIPPON



 

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back, agreed Monday to strengthen bilateral communication, including through mutual visits to each other's countries.

The two defense chiefs, meeting in Seoul for their first in-person talks since South Korean President Lee Jae-myung took office in June, also agreed to promote three-way cooperation among the two countries and the United States to counter threats from North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

"Persistently fostering rapport is essential for sustainably strengthening cooperation and coordination between the two sides," Nakatani told reporters after the meeting.

He said that the two ministers did not discuss Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's announcement on Sunday that he will resign.

It was the first trip by a Japanese defense minister to the neighboring country since October 2015, when Nakatani also held the post. He had mulled a visit in 2024, but it was postponed due to political turmoil after martial law was briefly declared in South Korea that year.