Leaders of Japan, the US, and the Philippines will meet in Washington DC in April, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

Japan’s Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, and Maria Theresa Lazaro, an undersecretary of the Philippine Foreign Affairs Department, met in Tokyo on Thursday.

At the outset of the talks, Okano said they would ensure thorough preparation for the summit between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, US President Joe Biden, and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. scheduled for April 11 in Washington DC.

The diplomats vowed to steadily advance their partnership in maritime security, cyber defense, economic security, strategic infrastructure, and energy security.

The tripartite summit is expected to focus on cooperation to promote economic growth, emerging technologies, clean energy supply chains, and climate change response, as well as peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

On the sidelines of the meeting, President Biden will hold bilateral talks with President Marcos on economic security, clean energy, and relations between their countries.

Prime Minister Kishida will travel to the White House on April 10 on a state visit to the US.