対北朝鮮で連携確認　２年ぶりに防衛相会談―日米韓

　日米韓３カ国の防衛相は１０日午前、電話で約３５分間会談した。北朝鮮がミサイル発射を繰り返していることを受け、３カ国が連携して対応する方針を確認。北朝鮮の弾道ミサイルが国連安全保障理事会決議に違反し、地域の安全保障を不安定にしているとの認識で一致した。３カ国による防衛相会談は２０１９年１１月以来、約２年３カ月ぶり。
　会談に臨んだのは岸信夫防衛相、米国のオースティン国防長官、韓国の徐旭国防相。今後、対面での会談実施に向け調整することでも合意した。
　北朝鮮は今年に入って弾道・巡航ミサイルを７回発射。１８年から凍結してきた核実験や大陸間弾道ミサイル（ＩＣＢＭ）試射の再開も示唆し、３カ国は警戒を強めている。（2022/02/10-15:06）

The defense ministers of Japan, the United States and South Korea on Thursday affirmed a policy of working together in dealing with North Korea, which continues missile testing.
   In their telephone talks that lasted about 35 minutes, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook shared the view that North Korea's ballistic missile launches are in violation of relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions and destabilizing regional security.
   It was the first time since November 2019 that the three countries' defense ministers have held talks. In the phone talks, Kishi, Austin and Suh agreed to work to meet in person.
   North Korea has fired ballistic and cruise missiles seven times this year. Tokyo, Washington and Seoul are increasingly alarmed also because North Korea has suggested the possibility of resuming its nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests, which have been suspended since 2018.
   Meanwhile, relations between Japanese and South Korean defense authorities have been strained due partly to an incident in December 2018 in which a South Korean warship directed a radar at a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force patrol plane.