[Title] Trilateral Statement Japan, Republic of Korea, and the United States of America

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Seiji Maehara, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea Kim Sung-hwan, and the Secretary of State of the United States of America Hillary Rodham Clinton, met in Washington, D.C., on December 6, 2010 for a ministerial trilateral. This meeting builds on longstanding efforts to intensify policy coordination and strategic dialogue among the three countries and reflects the need for greater trilateral cooperation in addressing enduring and emerging challenges. The Ministers noted that as three of the world's major economies with shared values, the three nations have a common cause and responsibilities to maintain stability and security in the Asia-Pacific region and globally.

The Ministers recognized that the U.S.-Japan and U.S.-ROK Alliances and Japan-ROK partnership are essential to the maintenance of peace and stability in Asia. All three reaffirmed their mutual bilateral responsibilities and steadfast commitments under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and the United States of America and the ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty, which serve as the foundations for the two alliance relationships. The Ministers resolved to build on mutual bilateral responsibilities to deal effectively with common security threats.

The Ministers pledged to maintain and enhance coordination and consultation on DPRK related issues. The Ministers expressed grave concerns about the DPRK's November 23 artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island. Foreign Minister Maehara and Secretary Clinton offered their sincere condolences to the people of the ROK, particularly the victims of the unprovoked attack and their families. The Ministers strongly condemned the attack. They urged the DPRK to cease its provocative behavior and abide by the terms of the 1953 Armistice Agreement to preserve peace and stability not only in Northeast Asia but also in the wider region.

The Ministers affirmed that the DPRK's provocative and belligerent behavior threatens all three countries and will be met with solidarity from all three countries.

The Ministers also condemned the DPRK's construction of a uranium enrichment facility, highlighting that this was a violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874 and North Korea's commitments under the September 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks. They urged the DPRK to cease its provocative behavior and comply with its international obligations.

The Ministers reiterated their commitment to the September 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks and reaffirmed that resumption of the Six-Party Talks will require the DPRK to make sincere efforts to improve relations with the ROK as well as taking concrete steps to demonstrate a genuine commitment to complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization. The three Ministers also decided to strengthen multilateral cooperation to prevent North Korean proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and reaffirmed that proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, as well as their means of delivery, constitutes a threat to international peace and security.

The Ministers also looked forward to further enhancing cooperation with China and Russia, in particular within the Six-Party Talks framework, on ways to deal with DPRK related issues, including an appropriate response to its recent provocative actions and denuclearization, emphasizing the implementation of relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions. The Ministers welcomed China's support for United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874 and looked forward to China's efforts to urge North Korea to adhere to its commitments as articulated in the September 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the full implementation of sanctions under United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874, including strengthening sanctions as necessary through their own national measures. The Ministers noted their willingness to improve relations with the DPRK, urging North Korea to first cease its provocative behavior, fully abide by the terms of the Armistice Agreement, and comply with its bilateral and international obligations.

The Ministers also underscored the importance of strengthening trilateral cooperation on economic, political, and security issues. They noted that the governments and peoples of Japan, the ROK, and the United States share a deep and abiding interest in maintaining peace, prosperity, and stability in the region; expanding the benefits of freer and more open trade; and promoting and protecting freedom, democracy, and human rights worldwide. The three nations shared a common understanding that it is necessary to strengthen, with all these measures, consultation and cooperation with every respective nation of the region, in order to maintain peace and security. The three nations underscored their enduring commitment to building strong, productive, and constructive relations with China, and to achieving a common objective of creating a peaceful Northeast Asian community of nations. They pledged to increase coordination and consultation on regional approaches in Asia, reiterated the importance of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a fulcrum for regional multilateralism, and pledged to enhance preparatory efforts for the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit. The Ministers of Japan and ROK welcomed the United States' full participation in the East Asia Summit from 2011. The three Ministers also suggested increasing coordination of development efforts in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on the Lower Mekong countries. They noted the importance of enhancing regional capacities for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

The Ministers exchanged ideas about ways to address the global challenges of terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, piracy, climate change, epidemic disease, energy security, promotion of green growth, freedom of navigation, and maritime security. They looked forward to efforts of their respective ministries to identify ways to coordinate joint endeavors in this regard. As three key donor countries, they noted how development assistance can increase stability and security and pledged to increase trilateral coordination of development assistance programs around the world to help achieve these shared goals. The Ministers also underscored the importance of security and stability in Afghanistan. The United States side welcomed the ROK's sending of a Provincial Reconstruction Team and Japan's role as the largest contributor of reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan. The Ministers committed to increase aid to the Palestinian Authority, noting the importance of a viable and enduring Middle East peace for global security. They also agreed to further cooperate to address the challenge posed by Iran's nuclear activities.

The Secretary of State highlighted the success of the recent G-20 Summit hosted by the ROK and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting hosted by Japan. The meetings highlighted the importance of open and free trade to global economic stability. The Ministers underscored the importance of APEC and pledged to cooperate in deepening regional economic integration under U.S. chairmanship in 2011. The Ministers also reaffirmed the need for a balanced global growth strategy and reaffirmed the principles of the G-20 Leaders' Statement.

The Ministers noted that today's Ministerial trilateral meeting was a timely and productive step forward and welcomed continued and strengthened trilateral interaction to complement the strong bilateral institutions and discussions that exist among the three nations.