Photo via The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan
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With a full-on trade war looming on the horizon, nations all around the globe are outraged and planning a response to President Donald Trump’s drastic tariff increases. What seemed to President Trump a good plan to make international trade fairer and encourage Americans to buy products made in the U.S. has quickly backfired.
Backlash and retaliatory tariff increases from other nations were inevitable; however, many were surprised that Trump’s actions achieved something once considered nearly impossible: The three Asian countries of South Korea (ROK), Japan, and China astonishingly put aside their differences and came together to discuss a unified response despite their turbulent past.
On March 25, 2025, trade diplomats representing Japan, the ROK, and China met in Seoul for the first trilateral meeting in over five years to discuss escalating tensions with the U.S. During this meeting, the ministers agreed to accelerate negotiations toward a free trade agreement—something which has never been solidified since talks began in 2012. This meeting occurred before Trump’s official announcement of tariff increases, propelling these nations towards action. However, what truly surprised most people was that these countries could come together despite their complicated historical issues and territorial disputes.
Many may be unaware of the long and complicated history these countries share, making it all the more significant that they have come together to discuss a unified plan of action. All three countries experience shared distrust and resentment for the conflicts they faced at the hands of one another in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Armed conflict between Japan and China at the end of the 19th century and the years of conflict during WWII between Korea and Japan marked these tensions. During these years “comfort women” were sexually exploited, criminal medical experimentation occurred, and slave labor took place. Tensions between these nations have been a mainstay of modern history. These horrible events understandably took time to process and recover from. However, the relationship between these nations has improved during the 21st century, leading to brighter and more peaceful times.
After the trilateral meeting, the three countries agreed to respond to the U.S. tariffs jointly. This will help brace Asian exports for the impacts of the tariff increase by strengthening supply chain cooperation and encouraging more dialogue. Overall, this meeting between trade ministers established a vision for an international alliance rooted in necessity.
Besides their conversation on how to respond to the increase in US tariffs, other significant issues were brought to attention at this meeting. They discussed concerns over North Korea’s weapons tests and its deployment of troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. Maintaining peace and stability in the region was a shared interest between the three countries, considering the ROK and Japan both pleaded with China to help denuclearize North Korea. It was greatly stressed that illegal military cooperation between North Korea and Russia be halted immediately. Ultimately, it was emphasized that now, more than ever, overcoming division through continued conversation is essential.
The ROK, China, and Japan are equally uncertain about future relations with the U.S. and are left with only one option for preparation: cooperative stabilization of relations. Although they didn’t conclusively agree on a unified response, they each made it clear that the U.S. tariff increase would not go unnoticed and without proper retaliation.
Even though the three countries will always have different perspectives on international relations, it is clear that the economic actions of the U.S. have left these nations with the need to fortify their relationship with each other against a common force.
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This article was edited by Kate Stover.
Thomas Tisdale 
David Tomanelli 
Sinhawe Haji