Yokosuka: South Korea's Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi are scheduled to convene in Yokosuka, Japan, for defense ministerial talks aimed at discussing regional security and enhancing defense cooperation.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Ahn is set to depart for Japan on Thursday to participate in the discussions, which are slated for the following day at the Japanese port city, home to the U.S. 7th Fleet. During his three-day visit, Ahn will also tour the U.S. 7th Fleet and the Japanese National Defense Academy.
This visit follows a recent meeting between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Nara, where they explored ways to strengthen bilateral relations. Ahn and Koizumi previously engaged in talks last November during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Kuala Lumpur, emphasizing the importance of trilateral security cooperation with the U.S. amid North Korean threats.
Ahn's visit marks the first by a South Korean defense minister to Japan since July 2024, when former Defense Minister Shin Won-sik traveled to Tokyo for similar discussions.