Japan and South Korea have held high-level talks aimed at strengthening security cooperation and deepening economic ties, against a backdrop of rising tensions in East Asia.
Leaders from both countries were expected to focus on the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, the fate of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea, and cooperation in advanced technologies including artificial intelligence and semiconductors.
The talks come as Tokyo and Seoul seek closer alignment on security in response to North Korea’s weapons programmes and intensifying strategic rivalry between the United States and China in the region.
The meeting took place in the Japanese city of Nara, a week after South Korean leader Lee Jae-myung met Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Relations between Japan and China have been strained following remarks by Japanese politician Sanae Takaichi suggesting Japan could deploy its forces if a Chinese attack on Taiwan posed an existential threat.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, a position rejected by the self-governing island.
Lee, who is on a two-day visit to Japan, said earlier that tensions between Japan and China were not desirable for regional stability, but added that he would not intervene in the dispute.
The two sides are expected to issue a joint statement after the talks outlining areas of cooperation and shared priorities.
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A South Korean Army AH-1S Cobra attack helicopter crashed on Monday (9 Febuary) during a training flight in the northern county of Gapyeong, killing both crew members on board, the military said.
South Korea has said it will uphold its trade agreement with the U.S. despite President Donald Trump’s announcement of higher tariffs on South Korean goods.
A South Korean court sentenced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in jail on Wednesday for charges including engaging in a key action of insurrection concerning ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law in December 2024.
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday after a court found he obstructed authorities from arresting him following his failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024.
JD Vance arrived in Armenia on Monday (9 February), becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit the country, as Yerevan and Washington agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector in a bid to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus.
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a strategic partnership in Baku on Tuesday (10 February) encompassing economic and security cooperation as Washington seeks to expand its influence in a region where Russia was once the main power broker.
Buckingham Palace said it is ready to support any police investigation into allegations that Prince Andrew shared confidential British trade documents with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as King Charles expressed “profound concern” over the latest revelations.
Chinese authorities have quietly signalled a shift in strategy, instructing some state-owned banks to rein in their purchases of U.S. government bonds.
Convicted Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell refused to answer questions before Congress, while her lawyer said she could clear President Donald Trump of wrongdoing if granted clemency.
Three people were injured after a gunman opened fire and held students and teachers hostage at a school in Hat Yai district in southern Thailand on Wednesday, police said.
The Philippine foreign ministry on Wednesday (11 February) called on the Chinese Embassy in Manila to adopt a “constructive” tone in its statements, amid an intensifying war of words between Chinese diplomats and Philippine officials, including senators.
Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid, who won bronze in the men’s biathlon at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday (10 February) in Italy, stunned viewers by publicly admitting he had cheated on his girlfriend and pleaded for another chance during post-race interviews.
Kyiv is preparing to outline a simultaneous return to the ballot box and a public vote on a potential peace settlement, the Financial Times reports. It would mark a pivotal shift in the country's political landscape on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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