US and Japan Foreign Ministers Discuss Korea-Japan Conflict in Phone Talk

Tony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State
[Photo by Reuters]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] It has been reported that the foreign ministers of the U.S. and Japan discussed Korea-Japan issues during a phone call. Korea-Japan relations have become more complicated since Japan recommended the Sado Mine, a site of forced labor of Koreans during the Japanese colonial period, as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site on the 1st.

According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun on the 3rd, Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa held a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mainly to discuss North Korea’s ballistic missile launches. After the call, he told reporters, "I also talked with Secretary Blinken about Korea-Japan issues."

He added, "There was no discussion about the Sado Mine during the meeting," and said, "Since the details are diplomatic talks, I will refrain from disclosing them."

Local media reported that there appeared to have been an exchange of opinions regarding lawsuits related to forced laborers (the Japanese term for Koreans conscripted for forced labor during the Japanese occupation) during the talks.

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun stated, "The prolonged Korea-Japan conflict could hinder North Korea policy, so the U.S. is urging improvement in Korea-Japan relations," suggesting that Secretary Blinken likely urged Foreign Minister Hayashi to improve relations.

It also noted, "The discord between Korea and Japan is a concern for the Joe Biden administration," and predicted, "If the Korea-Japan conflict continues, North Korea may exploit the gap to escalate provocations, and the U.S. response might not keep pace."

The U.S. State Department also stated in a press release reporting the U.S.-Japan foreign ministers’ phone call that "Secretary Blinken expressed commitment to trilateral cooperation among the U.S., Korea, and Japan for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said in a related press release, "We shared serious concerns about North Korea’s nuclear and missile activities," and "We agreed that the U.S., Korea, and Japan will closely cooperate for North Korea’s complete denuclearization."

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