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Key Points

The defence chiefs of South Korea and Japan are meeting in Seoul for the first time in nearly a decade. This marks Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani's first official visit since 2015 after a previous trip was cancelled last year. The meeting occurs amid growing regional security concerns and celebrates 60 years of normalized relations. Both ministers emphasized the importance of bilateral and trilateral cooperation with the United States.

Key Points: South Korea Japan Defence Chiefs Meet in Seoul First Time Since 2015

  • First official visit by Japanese defence minister to Seoul since 2015
  • Comes after cancelled December trip due to Yoon's martial law bid
  • Part of Seoul Defence Dialogue with 68 countries participating
  • Focus on bilateral and US trilateral security cooperation
2 min read

Defence chiefs of South Korea, Japan to meet in Seoul for 1st time in decade

Defence ministers Ahn Gyu-back and Gen Nakatani hold historic Seoul talks amid regional security challenges, marking first official Japanese defence visit since 2015.

"South Korea is an important partner for Japan in dealing with various issues in the international community - Gen Nakatani"

Seoul, Sep 5

The defence chiefs of South Korea and Japan will hold talks in Seoul next week, the South's defence ministry said, marking what would be the first official visit to South Korea by a Japanese defence minister since 2015.

The meeting between Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back and his Japanese counterpart, Gen Nakatani, comes as Nakatani is set to visit Seoul to attend the Seoul Defence Dialogue, an annual security forum hosted by Seoul's defence ministry.

In phone talks held last month, Ahn and Nakatani agreed to continue with their bilateral security cooperation as well as trilateral cooperation involving the United States and meet at an early date to hold in-depth discussions.

Nakatani had initially planned to visit Seoul in December last year but the trip was canceled following former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid.

Alongside Nakatani, the defence chiefs of four other countries -- Croatia, Mongolia, the Philippines and South Africa -- will join the three-day security forum set to take place from Monday through Wednesday, according to the ministry.

The event will also bring together the chair of the NATO military committee, vice defence chiefs of eight nations and security experts and professionals from 68 countries.

This year's forum will be held under the theme "Confronting Geopolitical Challenges: Building Peace through Cooperation."

Earlier on August, the defence chiefs of South Korea and Japan held phone talks and had agreed to continue with their bilateral security cooperation, as well as trilateral cooperation also involving the United States, the South's defence ministry had said.

Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back and his Japanese counterpart, Gen Nakatani had reached a consensus on such cooperation in their first phone conversation since Ahn took office as Seoul's new defense chief last month.

Ahn had underscored the importance of close bilateral coordination in the face of geopolitical uncertainties and security risks as the two countries mark the 60th anniversary of the normalisation of their diplomatic relations this year, Yonhap news agency reported.

In response, Nakatani had congratulated Ahn on his inauguration and stressed that South Korea is an important partner for Japan in dealing with various issues in the international community, the ministry said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Good to see Asian countries coming together for security cooperation. Hope this leads to more stability in the region. The theme "Building Peace through Cooperation" is very relevant for all of Asia.
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Arjun K
Interesting timing given the geopolitical tensions. Japan and South Korea have historical issues but their cooperation is crucial for countering common threats. Hope they can put past differences aside.
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Sarah B
While cooperation is good, I hope this doesn't become another military alliance that increases tensions. Peace should be the ultimate goal, not just military preparedness. The inclusion of 68 countries is impressive though.
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Vikram M
First meeting in a decade? That shows how strained relations have been. Glad they're talking again. Regional stability benefits everyone, including India. Hope they address real security concerns.
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Michael C
The US involvement in trilateral cooperation is the key factor here. Washington has been pushing for better Japan-SK relations for years. Interesting to see how this plays out in the current global scenario.

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