On Tuesday, July 7, 2026, the foreign ministers of Japan, the United States, and South Korea held a pivotal meeting in Ankara, Turkey, to address escalating regional security challenges. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun expressed shared concern over China’s recent submarine-launched ballistic missile test. The three leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and emphasized the need to counter cyber-activities that fund Pyongyang’s weapons programs.
They also stressed that maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait remains vital for international security. Beyond defense cooperation, the ministers signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on next-generation small modular reactor technology. This agreement will support trilateral corporate partnerships to deploy these advanced nuclear reactors globally and bolster energy security throughout the Indo-Pacific.
