Japan, U.S., ROK to Set up Trilateral Secretariat to Ensure Cooperation; Ishiba, Biden Affirm Commitment to Alliance

By Akihisa Ota / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

15:06 JST, November 16, 2024

LIMA — The leaders of Japan, the United States and South Korea agreed on Friday to set up a trilateral secretariat as part of efforts to advance cooperation among the three countries.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ meeting in Lima.

In a joint statement, the three countries announced the establishment of the secretariat to expand trilateral cooperation.

The aim is to “institutionalize” trilateral cooperation between the three countries ahead of the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect President Donald Trump, who takes a negative stance on multilateral cooperation.

The statement said that the secretariat would strengthen efforts to make the Indo-Pacific a stable and secure region.

“Japan wants to work closely [with the United States and South Korea] in various fields, making use of the Trilateral Secretariat,” Ishiba emphasized at the meeting.

Biden said, “Today’s meeting demonstrates the three countries’ strong commitment to developing our trilateral cooperation continuously.”

Yoon also stressed the importance of trilateral cooperation between Japan, the United States and South Korea for the Indo-Pacific region.

The three countries strongly condemned the decisions by the leaders of North Korea and Russia to “dangerously expand Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” the statement said regarding the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia.

The deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia is “particularly egregious given Russia’s status as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council,” it said.

Prior to the meeting, Ishiba met separately with Biden and expressed his gratitude for the U.S. president’s efforts to deepen the Japan-U.S. alliance. They agreed that the two countries will continue to work together to strengthen the alliance.