The top diplomats from Japan, China, and South Korea convened in Tokyo to seek common ground on East Asian security and economic issues amidst escalating global uncertainty.
"Given the increasingly severe international situation, I believe we may truly be at a turning point in history," said Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, opening discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul.
The three ministers agreed to expedite preparations for a trilateral summit in Japan, which will also address the challenges of declining birthrates and aging populations, according to Iwaya’s joint announcement following the meeting.
This was the first gathering of the countries' foreign ministers since 2023, occurring as U.S. President reshapes long-standing alliances, potentially allowing China to strengthen ties with nations that have traditionally aligned with Washington.
"Our three nations have a combined population of nearly 1.6 billion and an economic output exceeding $24 trillion. With our vast markets and great potential, we can exert significant influence," Wang noted, also expressing China's desire to resume free trade talks with its neighbors and expand membership in the 15-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
However, significant divisions persist. Beijing remains at odds with Tokyo and Seoul on various key issues, including its support for North Korea, increasing military activities around Taiwan, and backing Russia.
Japan and South Korea, which each host thousands of U.S. troops, share the belief that China poses a growing threat to regional security.
Cho indicated that he urged China to help persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions. He emphasized the need to halt illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea and asserted that North Korea should not be rewarded for its actions amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Iwaya plans to hold separate meetings with his Chinese and South Korean counterparts, including the first high-level economic dialogue with Beijing in six years. This meeting will address issues such as China's ban on Japanese seafood imports, which was imposed following the release of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant in 2023.