WASHINGTON, 22 January 2022, (TON): President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will hold their first formal talks as the two leaders face fresh concerns about North Korea’s nuclear program and China’s growing military assertiveness.

The virtual meeting comes after North Korea earlier this week suggested it might resume nuclear and long-range missile testing that has been paused for more than three years.

According to the Korean Central News Agency “North Korea’s Kim Jong Un on Thursday presided over a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party where officials set policy goals for “immediately bolstering” military capabilities to counter what were described as the Americans’ hostile moves.”

Both the U.S. and Japan are also concerned about China’s increasing aggression toward Taiwan. China claims self-governing Taiwan as its own territory, to be annexed by force if necessary.

In recent months, it has stepped up military exercises near the island, frequently sending warplanes near Taiwan’s airspace.