Future-Oriented Cooperation: Japan, China, and South Korea Chart a Path to Regional Stability

On the morning of 22, 2023, a meeting of the foreign ministers of the three countries, China, Japan, and Korea, was held at the Iikura diplomatic mission of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Minato-ku, Tokyo. The Japanese side was chaired by Foreign Minister Tsuyoshi Iwaya, the Chinese side by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and the Korean side by Foreign Minister Cho Jae-yeol. The meeting lasted approximately 80 minutes and the following major issues were discussed

Promotion of future-oriented cooperation and dialogue

Minister Iwaya stressed that frank dialogue and future-oriented exchanges and cooperation are in the common interest of the three countries and are crucial for the peace and prosperity of the region and the international community in response to the challenges they face as neighbors.

The three countries agreed to promote mutual understanding through people-to-people exchanges, economic cooperation, cooperation in disaster prevention, and addressing common challenges such as the declining birthrate and aging population.

Security and Regional Concerns

Minister Iwaya expressed concern over North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons and missiles, and the progress of military cooperation with Russia, and stressed the need for the three countries to discuss closely the denuclearization of North Korea in line with UN Security Council resolutions.

In addition, they called for cooperation in the immediate resolution of the abduction issue by North Korea. Regarding the situation in Ukraine, they confirmed their position that they will not allow any unilateral change of the status quo by force in any region.

Facing History and Looking to the Future

Noting that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that looking back at history with sincerity is essential for opening the way to the future, and stressed that the three countries should maintain cooperative relations while facing up to history.

Against the backdrop of the fluctuating international situation and stagnant economic recovery, Foreign Minister Wang also called for adherence to free trade and multilateralism, and pointed out the need to strengthen communication among the countries.

Movement toward the Next Summit Meeting

Based on the outcome of the foreign ministers’ meeting, the three countries agreed to accelerate coordination toward the early holding of the next trilateral summit meeting.

Minister Iwaya expressed his intention to continue close cooperation among the three countries in order to reflect the future-oriented cooperation gained from this meeting in the summit meeting.

Economic Cooperation and Trade Issues

The countries also exchanged views on trade and economic cooperation, confirming the need to promote free trade and economic globalization, especially in the face of growing protectionist trends.

In the context of economic relations between Japan and China, the issue of China’s embargo on Japanese marine products and beef, as well as the fact that China is a major trading partner between Japan and Korea, calls for enhanced economic cooperation.

In addition, the “Japan-China High-Level Economic Dialogue” is scheduled to be held at the ministerial level for the first time in six years, and concrete discussions on economic matters are expected to be promoted.

Other Areas of Cooperation and Broader Cooperation

It was also confirmed that the three countries will work together in areas that directly benefit people’s lives, such as human exchange, public health, and disaster management, in order to further stabilize and develop the trilateral partnership.

Furthermore, the three countries agreed to deepen cooperation toward the success of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting to be held this fall, which Korea will chair.

Overall, the meeting provided an important opportunity to reaffirm the foundation for the three countries to work together in a wide range of areas, including security, economy, and people-to-people exchanges, while aiming to share historical understanding and strengthen cooperation for the future. In order to produce concrete results, it is expected that the next summit meeting and economic dialogue will be held in addition to the foreign ministers’ meeting.