Overview

• Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and Gen. Nakatani held their first phone call since Ahn’s July appointment, agreeing to sustain and deepen bilateral and U.S.-backed trilateral security cooperation.
• Both sides pledged to launch in-depth bilateral defense discussions at the earliest opportunity.
• Ahn emphasized the importance of close coordination in the face of geopolitical uncertainties as the two countries mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic normalization.
• Nakatani congratulated Ahn on his inauguration and reaffirmed South Korea’s role as a key strategic partner for Japan.
• Gen. Nakatani is considering a visit to Seoul in early September that would be the first trip by a Japanese defense minister since 2015.