The US wants Japan and South Korea to agree that each nation has a duty to consult the others in the event of an attack, as Washington pushes for a historic joint statement when the leaders hold a trilateral summit at Camp David this month.Washington has bilateral alliances with Tokyo and Seoul, which have a history of turbulent relations over Japan’s wartime practices. But the White House wants to bring its two Pacific allies closer to boost deterrence against North Korea and China, according to four people familiar with the situation.
Officials are still negotiating the text of the statement that US president Joe Biden, Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol plan to issue at the presidential retreat on August 18.
In addition to pressing for the language on consultations, the White House is urging Tokyo and Seoul to state that the countries have mutual vulnerabilities — a reference to North Korea and China — that would enhance deterrence and facilitate defence co-operation.