U.S. and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force soldiers before a joint exercise on Kyushu. File photoTOKYO, Jun 11 Japanese, US, and South Korean Defense Ministers Nobuo Kishi, Lloyd Austin, and Lee Jong Sub met in Singapore on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue Asian Security Summit, in during which they agreed to conduct joint exercises to detect missiles, the Jiji news agency reported. Taking into account the development of North Korea's missile program, the ministers agreed to conduct joint exercises in the field of missile detection and tracking. Also, Japan and South Korea, whose relations are now going through hard times, came to a common opinion on the need to restore trust between the defense departments. Singapore agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of defenseIn a joint statement, the three countries condemned the «repeated missile launches of North Korea», and also spoke out for the «importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait» and against «attempts to unilaterally change the status quo.» Minister of Defense of Japan Nobuo Kishi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are visiting Singapore to attend the Asian Security Summit Shangri-La Dialogue. The Shangri-La Dialogue has been taking place in Singapore since 2002 at the initiative of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) . Leaders, ministers and representatives of the ministries of defense of 28 states of the Asia-Pacific region take part in it. Shinzo Abe became the last leader of Japan to visit the summit. The visit took place in 2014. Last year, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga intended to travel but was unable to travel due to the pandemic. in Hong Kong schools
