Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday affirmed a policy of strengthening cooperation between their countries and with the United States in the face of North Korea's deepening military ties with Russia.
In a meeting with Yoon in Washington, Kishida said that in light of the international situation, it is very significant for the leaders of Japan and South Korea to work closely together while maintaining a solid relationship of trust and having a shared awareness about strategic issues.
"The results of the recent North Korea-Russia summit are seriously worrying in terms of their impact on regional security," Kishida said, apparently referring to a new strategic partnership treaty that was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a meeting in Pyongyang in June.