Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed to strengthen “trilateral strategic collaboration” with the United States and South Korea during the first-ever stand-alone summit between the three nations’ leaders on Friday at Camp David.

During the historic meeting, Kishida emphasized the need to strengthen the partnership between the three nations, with heavy emphasis on the growing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.

“Under such circumstances to make our trilateral strategic collaboration blossom and bloom is only logical and almost inevitable and is required in this era,” he said to the crowd.

“The three of us here today declare our determination to pioneer a new era of Japan, US, ROK (Republic of Korea) partnership.”

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In addition to the shared North Korean missile warning system the three countries have established since last November, Kishida announced new measures to combat aggression in the region.

These included the full implementation of sanctions, collaboration at the United Nations Security Council where all three nations will be member states in 2024, and the monitoring of North Korea’s cyber activities – a believed “source of finance for nuclear and missile development and other matters,” the prime minister explained.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attend a joint press conference during the trilateral summit at Camp David on August 18. - Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Kishida also announced yearly recurring summits between the three countries, including meetings between several of the nations’ highest officials, including the ministers of foreign affairs, defense, and national security advisers, along with the financial, industry, and commerce ministers.

Despite the several new initiatives to deter North Korean aggression, Kishida said, “the way is open for dialogue with North Korea.”

“We will continue to work to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the three countries in order to safeguard a free and open international order based on rule of law,” Kishida concluded.

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