In the sixth round of bilateral defence talks, Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his South Korean counterpart Ahn Gyu-back met in Seoul on Sunday and agreed to deepen military communication and exchanges. Concrete outcomes included a plan to intensify cooperation between the Japanese Air Self-Defence Force’s Blue Impulse and the South Korean air force’s Black Eagles aerobatic teams, building on Japan’s first-ever provision of refuelling support to South Korean aircraft at Naha Air Base in January. Both sides are now exploring making such refuelling a regular arrangement. The ministers also agreed to develop joint maritime search-and-rescue exercises, following their first such drill in more than eight years earlier this month.

The two defence chiefs reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of a permanent peace, pledging continued bilateral and trilateral cooperation with the United States. This stance was reiterated against the backdrop of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s recent vows to bolster his country’s defence capabilities, including naval nuclear armament and continued missile testing. Pyongyang, which declared itself an irreversible nuclear state after the 2019 Hanoi summit between Kim and then-U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed over sanctions relief, remains technically at war with the South because the Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

The talks unfolded amid a complex regional security environment. The ministers shared information on joint flights by Chinese and Russian bombers over the East China Sea a day earlier, underscoring shared threat perceptions. They also agreed to advance discussions on defence equipment cooperation; Tokyo recently lifted its arms export ban in April, while Seoul is expanding its arms-export footprint. Japanese officials noted that Minister Koizumi observed the need to learn from South Korea’s policies. However, progress on a more politically sensitive acquisition and cross-servicing agreement (ACSA), which would enable mutual fuel and ammunition supplies, was not a major topic. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung had stated earlier in June that concluding ACSA would be difficult due to public sentiment rooted in historical grievances, a constraint that Tokyo acknowledged. Instead, the meeting focused on creating an environment for broader defence cooperation.

These incremental steps reflect a broader rapprochement between Tokyo and Seoul, encouraged by Washington, who have sought since 2022 to overcome the legacy of Japan’s early-20th-century colonial rule. Reciprocal ministerial visits – Koizumi’s trip follows Ahn’s January visit to Japan, marking the shortest interval between such exchanges since the early 2000s – signal a sustained diplomatic rhythm. After the formal talks, the ministers attended a youth dialogue to foster understanding of defence policies and ACSA. Koizumi was also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun. Further technical discussions on aerobatic exchanges and search-and-rescue exercises are expected, though no timeline for the logistics pact has been set.