TOKYO: Finance ministers from Japan, the United States and South Korea are expected to hold their first trilateral meeting on the sidelines of a Group of 20 meeting in Washington this week, it was learned Monday.

The three countries are in the final stages of arranging the trilateral meeting, Japanese Vice Finance Minister for International Affairs KANDA Masato told reporters on the day.

The Japanese, U.S. and South Korean ministers are expected to discuss issues such as sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Regarding the yen’s current weakness against the dollar and other currencies, meanwhile, Kanda said that the Japanese side is in close daily contact with senior officials of the finance ministries and central banks of major countries, including the United States.

He declined to comment on the impact on the currency market of rising tensions in the Middle East following Iran’s attacks on Israel, citing the possibility of his remarks having unexpected effects on the market.

JIJI Press