In a rare moment of unity, the foreign ministers of Japan, China, and South Korea gathered recently to reaffirm their commitment to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and to explore collaboration on pressing issues like aging populations, plummeting birth rates, natural disasters, and cultural ties. The meeting, held against a backdrop of escalating regional tensions, underscored both the potential for partnership and the deep-seated challenges facing these East Asian neighbors.
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, joined by China’s Wang Yi and South Korea’s Cho Tae-yul, spoke at a joint press conference following the talks. Iwaya didn’t mince words about the threats posed by North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and its cozying up to Russia. He insisted that Pyongyang’s complete denuclearization, in line with U.N. Security Council resolutions,…
