Japan, U.S., S. Korea reaffirm cooperation on N. Korea

The United States and Japan have raised concern about China’s pressing its claims to contested areas in the South China Sea and Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls Diaoyu

July 21, 2021 12:30 pm | Updated 12:30 pm IST - Tokyo

Japan's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeo Mori (centre), South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman pose for photographs prior to their trilateral meeting in Tokyo, Japan on July 21, 2021.

Japan's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeo Mori (centre), South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman pose for photographs prior to their trilateral meeting in Tokyo, Japan on July 21, 2021.

The United States, Japan and South Korea on July 21 reaffirmed their commitment to work together on North Korea’s denuclearisation and other regional threats but made no progress in bringing closer together the two U.S. allies.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, who held talks in Tokyo with her counterparts, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori and South Korea’s Choi Jong-kun, said their alliance remains a “lynchpin of peace, security and prosperity”. The officials reaffirmed the importance of respecting international law, including maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, and opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea and in the Taiwan Strait.

“When countries take actions that run counter to the United States’ interests or that threatens our partners and allies, we will not let those challenges go unanswered,” Ms. Sherman said.

The United States and Japan have raised concern about China’s pressing its claims to contested areas in the South China Sea and Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls Diaoyu.

“It is important for the international community to unite and raise voice against (China’s) unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, and I hope to cooperate among the three countries,” Mr. Mori said.

South Korea’s Choi stayed away from the China issue at Wednesday’s joint news conference and stressed the importance of maintaining dialogue with North Korea.

The worsening relations between Washington and Beijing have raised worries in Seoul that it would become squeezed between its main security ally and biggest trade partner.

Mr. Choi repeatedly welcomed the significance of holding the trilateral talks and said he hoped to have them held regularly for “close communication” among the three countries.

Japan and South Korea have been trying to improve ties since President Joe Biden took office calling for stronger three-way cooperation in the face of the North Korean nuclear threats and challenges posed by China.

There has been little improvement.

Mr. Mori and Mr. Choi remained apart on issues dating back to Japan’s colonization of the Korean Peninsula and atrocities committed before and during World War II, and only agreed to continue talks.

Mr. Mori urged South Korea to responsibly resolve the issues related to compensation of wartime Korean labourers and sexual abuses of “comfort women” by Japanese soldiers to restore “healthy relations” between the two countries.

Mr. Choi repeated his country’s position that the issues would not be solved unless Japan changed its position.

Earlier this week, President Moon Jae-in scrapped a plan to visit Tokyo for Friday’s opening of the Olympics and meet with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.