Japan-China-ROK Foreign Ministers' Meeting to be held today for the first time in four years

Following the Japan-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the 25th, the Japan-ROK Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting will be held on the 26th. In addition to exchanging views on issues such as North Korea's response to North Korea's alleged launch of a military reconnaissance satellite, Foreign Minister Kamikawa will urge the trilateral to hold a summit meeting as soon as possible.

What is Japan's aim?

Foreign Minister Kamikawa, who is visiting Busan, the Republic of Korea, met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on March 25. The two leaders also shared the view that they would call for the abolition of measures such as the suspension of imports of Japan fishery products, promote a "mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests," and consider mutual visits by foreign ministers.

On the morning of the 26th, Minister Kamikawa will meet with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin-jin and call on him to take appropriate measures, saying that the judgment of the Korean High Court ordering the Japan government to pay compensation over the comfort women issue is unacceptable.

In the afternoon, a trilateral foreign ministers' meeting will be held. This is the first time in four years since August 3 that the event will be held in person.

Speaking to reporters on the evening of the 2019th, Minister Kamikawa said, "I would like to have a positive discussion between the three of us based on the strategic and broad significance of cooperation between Japan, China, and the ROK."

At the meeting, in addition to exchanging views on issues such as how to respond to North Korea, which is said to have launched a military reconnaissance satellite, Minister Kamikawa will urge the early holding of a trilateral summit meeting that has not been held since 8.

What is the aim of Korea?

At this meeting, the Government of the Republic of Korea (ROK) hopes to discuss issues such as how to respond to North Korea, which is facing an increasing degree of threat over the launch of a military reconnaissance satellite, and to pave the way for the holding of the trilateral summit meeting for the first time since 2019, when the ROK has been coordinating as the chair of the meeting.

The South Korean government aims to strengthen cooperation among the three countries in areas such as security, economy, digital, and climate change.

In particular, it seems that they want to discuss how to deal with North Korea, which is said to have successfully launched a "military reconnaissance satellite". In response to the launch by North Korea, the South Korean government suspended part of the military agreement signed with North Korea in 3 and resumed surveillance and reconnaissance activities against North Korea.

In response, North Korea has announced that it will resume all military measures that had been suspended in the military agreement, and concerns about future provocations are increasing.

For this reason, the Government of the Republic of Korea is expected to urge China, which has friendly relations with North Korea, to play a constructive role in the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula through individual talks.

On the other hand, the Government of the Republic of Korea, as the chair of the meeting, has expressed its willingness to hold the trilateral summit meeting of Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea (ROK) as soon as possible, and hopes to pave the way through the Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the 3th.

What is China's aim?

Regarding the holding of the Japan-China-ROK Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a press conference on the 21st of this month, "Cooperation between the three countries is in line with the common interests of the three countries and will contribute to the stability and prosperity of the region," indicating that the three countries want to strengthen cooperation.

Amid growing uncertainty about the economic outlook due to the prolonged stagnation in the real estate market and the severe employment situation, China intends to promote cooperation in the economic field, such as by placing emphasis on relations with Japan and South Korea, which are neighboring countries in East Asia and have close ties through trade and other areas, and to attract investment.

On the other hand, the Global Times, a media outlet affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party, pointed out in an editorial on the 3th, "In East Asia, the involvement of the United States has increased significantly, and dark clouds are hanging over the relationship between the three countries Japan.

China is very wary of the deepening cooperation between Japan and South Korea with the United States, and it seems that there is a desire to drive a wedge in the cooperation between Japan and South Korea and the United States by strengthening cooperation among the three countries.