Japan, S Korea, U.S. agree on tighter nuclear ties over N Korea threat

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs Funakoshi Takehiro speaks during the Japan-US-Soutn Korea Trilateral Meeting on North Korea at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on September 7, 2022. Kazuhiro Nogi/Pool via REUTERS

The nuclear envoys of Japan, South Korea and the United States agreed on Wednesday to strengthen security ties in the face of potential "provocation" from North Korea in the form of a nuclear test.

North Korea has conducted an unusual number of missile launches this year while the United States has warned that Pyongyang could sell weapons to Russia.