Defense leaders of South Korea and Japan reassert commitment to joint US-supported strategy against North Korea.

In a significant development, South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-Back and his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani held a meeting on Monday, marking the first official visit by a Japanese defense minister to Seoul since 2015. This encounter comes at a time of rising regional tensions, following China's military parade last week attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The meeting took place amidst the backdrop of growing concerns over North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. In response, the South Korean, Japanese, and U.S. have scheduled annual defensive drills starting from 15 September, aimed at enhancing aerial, naval, and cyber capabilities against these threats.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has been trying to improve relations with Pyongyang, but efforts have so far been unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the defensive drills follow large-scale readiness drills by South Korean and U.S. forces last month, which North Korea condemned as hostile.

During his two-day visit, Gen Nakatani will tour the Seoul National Cemetery and the Korean Navy 2nd Fleet. The two defense ministers also agreed to collaborate on advanced military technologies, including artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, and aerospace.

The South Korean and Japanese defense ministers pledged more defense talks and reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. They also discussed strengthening cooperation with Washington in response to North Korea's nuclear threats and growing military ties with Russia.

The resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Sunday has raised uncertainty over Japan's future policy direction. Last month, Ishiba met with South Korean President Lee in Tokyo. It is yet to be seen how the new Japanese leadership will approach regional tensions and defense cooperation with South Korea.

In a separate development, it was announced that Gen Nakatani represented Japan during the annual defense exercises between South Korea, Japan, and the U.S., following Ishiba's resignation in September 20XX. The exact details of these exercises and their impact on regional dynamics are still being evaluated.