Japan, S. Korea Eyes 1st 2-Plus-2 Vice Ministerial Talks in May

Tokyo, April 13 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese and South Korean governments plan to hold their first two-plus-two security meeting of vice-ministerial officials from their foreign and defense ministries in Seoul in early May, informed sources said Monday.

The planned meeting will mark an upgrade from bureau-chief-level talks, after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met in Japan in January and agreed on the significance of strategic cooperation, including security cooperation between Japan and South Korea and between the two countries and the United States.

At the upcoming meeting, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi and Koji Kano, vice minister of defense for international affairs, and their South Korean counterparts are expected to reaffirm their countries' commitment to strengthening security cooperation with the United States amid situations involving North Korea, Iran and Ukraine.

Japan and South Korea, both U.S. allies, are increasingly concerned about a possible decline in U.S. deterrence power as the U.S. military is sending forces from East Asia to the Middle East in the face of Iran's de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

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