Kishida plans Seoul visit to strengthen trilateral ties.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to visit South Korea later this month, in what appears to be a move to gain the upper hand over Seoul in trilateral relations between South Korea, Japan and the U.S. The visit is aimed at responding to President Yoon Suk Yeol's visit to Japan in March, during which the South Korean leader showed his willingness to improve chilled bilateral relations. The U.S. has been supporting and championing greater dialogue and consultations between South Korea and Japan for the purpose of strengthening ties between the three countries to control North Korea's nuclear threats, handle challenges the U.S. sees in the Indo-Pacific and enable stronger economic security.