{
  "id": 7545286,
  "title": "Defense chiefs of Korea, Japan agree on defense cooperation based on 'mutual understanding'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/defense-chiefs-of-korea-japan-agree-on-defense-cooperation-based-on",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-15T12:07:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/defense/20260915/defense-chiefs-of-korea-japan-agree-on-defense-cooperation-based-on-mutual-understanding"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Defense ministers from South Korea and Japan have agreed to bolster defense cooperation, Seoul's defense ministry announced. In a phone conversation on Tuesday, Ahn Gyu-back and Shinjiro Koizumi emphasized the importance of mutual understanding in their bilateral relationship, according to the ministry. Ahn also commended the trust established between their nations throughout his term and extended condolences for Japan's earthquake in late July, which struck Kumamoto Prefecture. Both leaders agreed that trilateral cooperation with the United States was crucial for maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region. The meeting comes amid strained relations between the defense officials, following Koizumi's visit to a war shrine in Tokyo, a gesture that drew criticism from Seoul. Despite this, the Japanese defense chief did not attend the Seoul Defense Dialogue earlier this month, with the vice minister stepping in.",
  "summary": "Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back spoke with his Japanese counterpart on the phone Tuesday and shared an understanding on the need for bilateral defense cooperation grounded in mutual understanding, Seoul's defense ministry said. Ahn held a video call with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi earlier in the day, where he reaffirmed the trust built between the two nations during his tenure,…",
  "key_points": [
    "South Korean and Japanese defense ministers agree on increased defense cooperation",
    "Mutual understanding emphasized as key to bilateral relationship",
    "Trilateral cooperation with US crucial for regional peace and stability"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "Defense chiefs of S. Korea, Japan agree on defense cooperation based on 'mutual understanding'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/defense-chiefs-of-s-korea-japan-agree-on-defense-cooperation-based-on",
        "published": "2026-09-15T10:44:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Defense chiefs of Korea, Japan agree on defense cooperation based on 'mutual understanding'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/defense-chiefs-of-korea-japan-agree-on-defense-cooperation-based-on-7547448",
        "published": "2026-09-15T12:32:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}