Lima Convention Center
Lima, Peru

2:44 P.M. PET

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minister, welcome.  It’s good to be with all of you again.  This is a great group.

Fifteen months ago, we held the first-ever leader-level summit of our three countries at Camp David, back in the United States, and it inaugurated a whole new era of cooperation between our — among our three countries.  And it was part of a much larger effort these past four years to bring together America’s Pacific allies.

And I’m proud — I’m proud of how far we’ve come since that historic meeting, promoting development in Southeast Asia and in the Pacific Islands, linking arms to secure the technologies of the future, and countering North Korea’s dangerous and destabilizing cooperation with Russia.  Whether — whatever the issue, we’re taking it on together, and I think it’s — it makes a big difference for peace and security.

We’ve now reached a moment of significant political change, and I congratulate the prime minister for — on his taking office.  And this is likely to be my last trilateral meeting with this important group, but I’m proud to have helped be one of the parts of building this — this partnership, and I think it’s built to last.  That’s my ho- — hope and expectation.

I truly believe cooperation of our countries will be the foundation to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific for many years to come if we stay together.  And I believe that.

So, I look forward to our discussion.

And, Mr. President, I now turn it over to you.

PRESIDENT YOON:  (As interpreted.)  Last year, at Camp David, we agreed to organize trilateral summit every year, and I am pleased that we are delivering on the agreement today with President Biden and with new Prime Minister Ishiba.

Today’s meeting demonstrates the three countries’ strong commitment to developing our trilateral cooperation continuously.  In the midst of complex global crises, cooperation between the ROK, the U.S., and Japan not only coincides with the national interest of all three countries but is also essential for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

As we can see from the recent deployment of DPRK troops to Russia, the challenging security environment within and outside the region once again reminds us the importance of our trilateral cooperation.

Since the Camp David Leaders’ Summit last year led by President Biden, our trilateral cooperation has become and is becoming stronger every day.  I want to extend my gratitude for President Biden’s leadership.

We now have regular trilateral high-level consultations, including the one between the heads of states.  And we also now have consultative bodies in various areas in place.  We are accumulating our experiences of a trilateral cooperation fast, which is leading to tangible results.

The trilateral cooperation now goes beyond the security as it has developed into comprehensive and institutional cooperation that encompasses economy; advanced technologies, such as AI and quantum technology; as well as exchange between future generations.

The trilateral secretariat that will be launched as a result of today’s meeting will be a strong foundation that will lead to even greater cooperation among our three nations. 

I look forward a constructive discussion on the close coordination and cooperation with the two leaders today.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Mr. Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER ISHIBA:  (As interpreted.)  It is a great pleasure for me to be given this opportunity to participate in this meeting.  While our countries are surrounded by an increasingly challenging security environment, the Japan-U.S. alliance, the U.S.-ROK alliance, and our strategic partnerships are essential in securing peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific.

In order to effectively respond to international challenges of intensifying complexity, our trilateral partnership has become more important than ever.  And against such backdrop, it’s encouraging to see our trilateral cooperation expanding in diverse areas on the global scene since the Camp David summit last year.

And especially noteworthy is the trilateral security cooperation, which has been elevated to new heights — as symbolized by the joint exercise, Freedom Edge, executed most recently — founded on the trust Prime Minister Kishida built with President Biden and President Yoon, and capitalizing the trilateral coordinating secretariat to be announced today. 

I look forward to furthering our partnership in response against North Korea and in many other areas.

Thank you.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you, gentlemen. 

2:50 P.M. PET