South Korean and Japanese defence ministers agreed on Monday to strengthen cooperation with Washington in response to North Korea’s nuclear threats and growing military ties with Russia, Seoul’s defence ministry said.
The meeting marked the first official visit to Seoul by a Japanese defence minister since 2015, amid rising regional tensions following China’s military parade last week attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-Back and Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani pledged more defence talks and reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
They also agreed to collaborate on advanced military technologies, including artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, and aerospace.
During his two-day visit, Nakatani will tour the Seoul National Cemetery and the Korean Navy 2nd Fleet.
South Korea, Japan, and the U.S. are scheduled to conduct annual defensive drills starting 15 September to enhance aerial, naval, and cyber capabilities against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.
The exercises follow large-scale readiness drills by South Korean and U.S. forces last month, which Pyongyang condemned as hostile.
The talks come after Kim Jong Un’s visit to Beijing for China’s World War Two commemoration parade held on 3 September.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, in office since June, has sought to improve ties with Pyongyang, but efforts have so far been rejected.
Last month, Lee met Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo to advance closer security and economic relations.
Ishiba resigned on Sunday, raising uncertainty over Japan’s future policy direction.
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Bosnia’s international peace oversight body failed on Thursday to reach agreement on a successor to Germany’s Christian Schmidt, who unexpectedly stepped down last month, claiming he had come under pressure from the United States.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he sees progress between Israel and Lebanon after talks with Netanyahu, while Hezbollah has rejected a new ceasefire proposal and Israel has ruled out a troop withdrawal.
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire after U.S.-backed talks in Washington. The deal requires Hezbollah to halt attacks and withdraw from southern Lebanon, while both sides will resume direct talks later this month aimed at reaching a broader agreement.
Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought heavy rain, power cuts and transport disruption across Japan on Wednesday (3 June) as it tracked towards the greater Tokyo region.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Albania in recent days to protest against a luxury tourism project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and his wife Ivanka Trump.
Armenia’s parliamentary election comes at a defining moment for the South Caucasus, a region reshaped by the Garabagh conflict and broader shifts in Russia-West relations. The outcome is increasingly seen as a signal of Armenia’s future foreign policy direction and the regional balance of power.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said in a statement that its Aerospace Force did not strike the Kuwait Airport passenger terminal on Wednesday, and that the destruction was instead caused by a failed U.S. Patriot missile.
Global weather forecasters predict a strong El Niño will develop in the second half of 2026, bringing hotter, drier conditions to much of Asia while increasing rainfall in parts of North and South America.
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation that would provide new aid to Ukraine and impose additional sanctions on Russia, marking the latest instance of Republican lawmakers breaking ranks with President Donald Trump and party leaders.
Bosnia’s international peace oversight body failed on Thursday to reach agreement on a successor to Germany’s Christian Schmidt, who unexpectedly stepped down last month, claiming he had come under pressure from the United States.
China has criticised planned maritime boundary discussions between Japan and the Philippines, arguing that the waters involved fall within an area where Beijing claims maritime rights and jurisdiction.
U.S. President Donald Trump will attend next month's NATO leaders' summit in Türkiye, ending weeks of uncertainty over whether he would take part in a gathering expected to focus on the future of the alliance.
All 27 European Union (EU) member countries have agreed to begin the first set of talks with Ukraine and Moldova about joining the political and economic bloc.
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