Japan, South Korea Agree to Strengthen Defense Cooperation

The meeting follows a two-day summit earlier this month between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

The national flags of Japan (L) and South Korea (R) flutter in the wind ahead of the arrival of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan, on March 16, 2023. Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images

Japan’s and South Korea’s defense ministers agreed on Jan. 30 to strengthen their defense cooperation and work together to maintain peace and stability in the region.

Japanese Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro and South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-back met in Yokosuka, Japan, where they confirmed both countries would develop their cooperation in future-oriented technologies and fields, including artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, and space.