Precisely because this is an era where the logic of power dominates, the unity of Japan, the United States and South Korea, which share the values of freedom and democracy, carries a huge and unique significance.

However, if it works only as a strategic architecture to compete for supremacy, the enhanced framework for trilateral cooperation will only heighten tensions. Further efforts are needed to ensure that the three-way coalition contributes to the stability of the region.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with President Joe Biden of the United States and President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea at Camp David, a secluded mountainous presidential retreat on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. 

This was the first time for the three leaders to come together solely for holding talks among themselves--actually the first-ever standalone summit between the leaders of the three countries--not on the sidelines of an international conference.

At the meeting, they agreed to bring the trilateral security cooperation to “a new height.” The leaders also agreed to meet at least once a year and hold annual consultations among high-level officials of the three governments in various areas.

These arrangements are apparently aimed at establishing a solid system for trilateral cooperation that will endure regardless of who are the leaders. This is a response to the history of the relations among the three countries, which were often affected by changes in the leadership.

A pressing challenge facing the three countries is dealing with security threats from North Korea. Their agreement to create a mechanism to exchange real-time data to improve the tracking of North Korean missiles will directly contribute to Japan's security.

The agreement to beef up the three nations’ joint efforts to counter North Korea's cyber activities is notable as a coordinated undertaking to choke off flows of funding for Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile development programs.

However, the three countries should also learn from their past unsuccessful efforts to tackle the challenge simply by putting more pressure on the secluded regime.

In their joint statement, the three leaders said they are “committed to re-establishing dialogue with the DPRK (North Korea) with no preconditions.” Tokyo, Washington and Seoul should work together to explore ways to restart talks with Pyongyang.

There is no doubt that the principal aim of the new security coalition among the three countries is to respond to the growing military power of China. The joint statement reaffirmed “the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” where China is expanding and upgrading its military operations.

However, while the United States is focusing on "strategic competition" with China, South Korea, which has strong geographical and economic ties with China, wants to avoid an open confrontation with the giant neighbor.

Japan and China are also linked by an extensive web of commercial and other ties that bind the two countries together through countless daily human interactions.

If the three nations try to adopt a more confrontational stance toward Beijing despite differences in their national interests with regard to China, they may fall into disarray over their pact.

The three leaders should not lose sight of the fact that the overarching goal of their cooperation is regional stability, not an alliance against China.

The leaders of Japan, the United States and South Korea also agreed to strengthen engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.

However, the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are wary of being dragged into the U.S.-China confrontation, while India, which adheres to its traditional policy of nonalignment, does not want to come under pressure to take sides.

Japan and South Korea are expected to do more to persuade Washington not to put too much pressure on other countries in the region to join the alliance against China.

This meeting materialized as the relationship between Japan and South Korea has improved with regard to the sensitive issue of wartime Korean laborers drafted to work for Japanese companies.

However, as Yoon admitted at a news conference, there is strong opposition to the administration’s handling of the dispute at home.

Japan and South Korea must also make steady efforts to further solidify the footing of their bilateral relationship.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 20