TOKYO -- Japan, the U.S. and South Korea are discussing holding a trilateral summit next week, the first such meeting in nearly five years.

The plan is to hold the meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Spain, which begins on Wednesday and will be attended by U.S. President Joe Biden. Both Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol will participate as partner nations to show support for the military alliance.

The U.S. wants to see relations improve between Japan and South Korea, and hopes a trilateral summit will pave the way for rapprochement. The last time the leaders of the three countries met was in September 2017.

North Korea has conducted a barrage of missile tests this year, and the evidence suggests that the regime is preparing to conduct a seventh nuclear test. The three leaders will discuss how they will work together to rein in North Korea, including bolstering deterrence and response capabilities.

At a defense ministers meeting in Singapore on June 11, the three nations agreed to resume joint exercises .

While Japan and South Korea are unlikely to hold a bilateral summit, the sides are considering a short chat on the sidelines. The countries have not made progress in resolving the wartime labor issue, and the Japanese side has remained reluctant toward holding a one-on-one meeting.