US, Japan, and South Korea bolster security ties ahead of Trump-Xi summit

The United States, Japan, and South Korea have reaffirmed their commitment to regional security and the defense of Taiwan ahead of a scheduled summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. During meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun to issue a joint statement against economic coercion and non-market practices.

The trilateral nations announced a new consultation mechanism focused on economic security and the strengthening of supply chains for critical technologies. The U.S. also reiterated its “ironclad commitments” to the defense of Japan and the Republic of Korea, emphasizing extended deterrence and military strength.

In separate discussions in Washington, Japanese lawmakers and members of the U.S. Congress emphasized that a crisis involving Taiwan would constitute a crisis for both Japan and the U.S.-Japan alliance. Lawmakers rejected limiting defensive perimeters to the Second Island Chain, instead stressing the necessity of defending the First Island Chain. These discussions also highlighted the strategic importance of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry to the national and economic security of the United States and Japan.