Japan's leader calls for finding common ground ahead of key meeting with China and South Korea

TOKYO — Japan's prime minister on Friday urged foreign ministers from China, South Korea and Japan to focus on finding common ground ahead of a key joint meeting of the three Asian power houses the following day.

The meeting on Saturday will see Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and South Korea’s Cho Tae-yul plan for their countries' trilateral summit in Japan later this year.

They will also discuss North Korea’s missile and nuclear development, Russia’s war on Ukraine and other regional and global issues. On Friday, the three foreign ministers met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Japan has had historical and territorial disputes with both China and South Korea, and holding such three-way meetings is an achievement. Last one was held in South Korea last year.

Ishiba said Friday that cooperation among the three countries will serve their national interest and regional and global peace. The talks come amid growing political and economic uncertainty at home and challenges from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Later Saturday, delegations from Japan and China will meet separately and hold their first high-level economic dialogue since April 2019. Iwaya and Wang will also hold separate bilateral talks with Cho.

U.S. allies Japan and South Korea have rapidly improved ties as they share mutual concerns over China's growing threat in the region.

Tokyo and Beijing agreed in December to improve ties despite differences, including disputes over a group of uninhabited islands that both claim, as well as China’s territorial disputes with other countries in the South China Sea.