“The leaders discussed how to take their trilateral cooperation to new heights”, including with new coordination in the face of North Korea’s “illicit nuclear and missile threats”, the White House said in a statement issued after the meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, today.

They also discussed cooperation in sharing North Korea’s missile data in real time, according to a statement by Japan’s foreign ministry.

Their discussions also touched on the Indo-Pacific, economic security, and engagement with the Pacific Islands, according to the statement.

Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol met bilaterally earlier in the day, their third meeting this year, as the East Asian neighbours improve ties to counter regional security threats.

Biden commended Kishida and Yoon on their “courageous work to improve their bilateral ties”, saying the trilateral partnership is stronger because of their efforts, the White House said.

After years of disputes concerning Japan’s 1910-1945 occupation, relations between the two countries thawed earlier this year after Yoon announced a plan to compensate labourers who were forced to work during the war.

Kishida and Yoon have pledged closer ties, as they seek to counter increasing security threats from North Korea and an ascendant China.