Japanese Defence Minister To Hold Talks With South Korean Counterpart In Yokosuka On Jan 30

(MENAFN- IANS) Tokyo, Jan 28 (IANS) Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi will hold talks with his South Korean counterpart Ahn Gyu Back in Yokosuka on Friday, local media reported, citing the ministry.

During the meeting, Koizumi is expected to strengthen personal ties with Ahn Gyu Back, showcasing the need for bilateral cooperation to tackle threats posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear programme and other challenges. South Korea's Defence Ministry stated that the meeting will be held at the Yokosuka base of the Maritime Self-Defence Force, Japan's Kyodo News reported.

On Tuesday, the Japanese government lodged a strong protest after North Korea launched two ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan. Japan's Defence Ministry stated that one of the missiles rose to an altitude of around 80 kilometres and flew about 350 kilometres.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the military spotted the missiles launched from a region in northern Pyongyang at around 3:50 pm (local time) on Tuesday. According to a Japanese government official, the missiles seem to have fallen outside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Kyodo News reported.

Japan condemned North Korea for its ballistic missile launch. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi directed relevant government officials to collect information and ensure that vessels and aircraft are safe. So far, no damage has been reported from the missile launch.

Earlier this month, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung visited Japan, where he held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. He told Takaichi that cooperation between the two nations is more important than ever, citing the complex international order, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

He made the remarks at the start of the talks with Takaichi, urging the two nations to take measures towards a better future. Lee said, "Amid a complex and dizzying international order, I believe that cooperation between Korea and Japan is more important than ever."

Lee said South Korea and Japan have built mutually beneficial ties over the past six decades since normalising ties and expressed hope to further develop the relationship over the next 60 years. Takaichi said she would work closely with Lee to promote regional stability, expressing hope that his visit would elevate bilateral ties.

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