US-Japan Leaders "Committed to North Korea Denuclearization, Trilateral Cooperation Essential" (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea on the 16th (local time). They also shared the view on the importance of trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan for joint security.

After their summit held in Washington D.C. on the same day, President Biden and Prime Minister Suga issued a joint statement titled "U.S.-Japan Global Partnership for a New Era," distributed by the White House.

Both Leaders Urge North Korea to Comply with UN Security Council Resolutions

In the statement, the two leaders explicitly mentioned the complete denuclearization of North Korea and urged North Korea to comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions, calling on the international community to ensure enforcement as well.

Prime Minister Suga mentioned CVID (Complete, Verifiable, and Irreversible Dismantlement) regarding North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles during the joint press conference, although it was reportedly not included in the statement.

The two leaders also included in the statement that "we agree trilateral cooperation with South Korea is essential for joint security and prosperity."

Prime Minister Suga stated at the press conference, "We agreed on the recognition that trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan has become unprecedentedly important for responding to North Korea and for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region."

From their opening remarks made public to the media, the two leaders emphasized cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, clearly expressing their intention to counter China.

The statement also expressed shared concerns about China’s actions that do not conform to the international rules-based order, including economic and other forms of coercion, targeting China in various parts.

Additionally, they stated, "We express serious concerns about the human rights situation in Hong Kong and the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region," and "We emphasize the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and call for the peaceful resolution of cross-strait (China and Taiwan) issues."

5G and Semiconductor Supply Chain Cooperation

They agreed to cooperate with the Group of Seven (G7) and the World Trade Organization to address the abuse of unfair practices, including intellectual property rights violations, forced technology transfers, and industrial subsidies.

President Biden emphasized the importance of technological cooperation during the press conference, agreeing to collaborate on promoting joint research in areas such as secure and reliable 5G networks, semiconductor supply chain cooperation, and artificial intelligence.

The two leaders also shared the view on the need for cooperation to lead international efforts to address the climate change crisis and to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement noted that President Biden expressed support for Prime Minister Suga’s efforts to hold a safe Tokyo Olympics.

Prime Minister Suga expressed his determination to host the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics as a symbol of global unity, and President Biden reaffirmed his support, according to the statement.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.