Japan to hold summit with China, S. Korea

Japan announced Friday it will play host to a summit next month with China and South Korea to discuss the current global financial turmoil.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said the Dec. 13 summit among Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak will be held at the Kyushu National Museum in Dazaifu in Fukuoka state, Kyodo news service reported.

The trilateral summit also will discuss ways to strengthen cooperation among the three countries and the denuclearization of North Korea.

Past meetings have been on the sidelines of international conferences. This will be the first time the three leaders will meet independently, the report said.