U.S.-Japan Diplomacy Condemns North Korea's Missile Launch..."Reaffirming the importance of cooperation between South Korea, the U.S.

The U.S. and Japanese foreign ministers held talks in Tokyo today and strongly condemned North Korea's ballistic missile launch and reaffirmed the importance of cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan.

U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken, who visited Japan after South Korea, had a luncheon meeting in Tokyo with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya for about 90 minutes.

"The two ministers reaffirmed the importance of continuing close cooperation between the U.S. and Japan and South Korea in responding to North Korea, including nuclear and missile issues and abductees," Japan's foreign ministry said.

They also exchanged views on China-related issues and the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East, reaffirming the importance of cooperation.

The two ministers also discussed U.S. President Joe Biden's disapproval of Japan Steel's acquisition of U.S. steelmaker U.S. Steel.

Japan's Foreign Ministry said, "The two ministers exchanged views on Japan Steel's acquisition of US Steel and reaffirmed the importance of US-Japan economic relations, including Japanese companies' investment in the US."

Secretary Blinken's visit to Japan is a farewell visit before the inauguration of the Donald Trump administration on the 20th, and he will visit France after Korea and Japan by the 9th.