Japan, the United States and South Korea will hold a meeting of senior defense officials this coming week in Washington, where they are expected to discuss the North Korean nuclear and missile issues, Kyodo News‎ quoted the Japanese Defense Ministry as saying on Sunday.

Hideshi Tokuchi, Japan's vice minister of defense for international affairs, will meet with US Assistant Secretary of Defense David Shear and Yoo Jeh Seung, deputy minister for policy of the South Korean National Defense Ministry, on Thursday and Friday, it said.

Tokuchi will also call for arranging a meeting between Japanese and South Korean defense ministers in late May during an Asian security gathering in Singapore, according to the ministry.