(VOVworld) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left Japan on Sunday for the Republic of Korea (RoK) to attend a tripartite summit with the Republic of Korea and China which has been suspended in more than three years.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L), Republic of Korean President Park Geun-hye (C), and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meet for tripartite summit in the Republic of Korea. (Photo: AP)

Mr. Abe will hold separate talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Republic of Korean President Park Geun-hye. Abe said that Japan, China, and the RoK have a responsibility to peace and prosperity in the region. This is their first trilateral summit since 2012. After Sunday’s summit, the leaders are expected to issue a joint statement in which mentions a nuclear program of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, measures to strengthen trilateral economic cooperation, particularly pushing talks for a three-way free trade agreement. During talks with China, Japan will express its stance regarding China’s construction of artificial islands in the East Sea.