The top diplomats of the United States and Japan on Saturday had telephone talks and discussed North Korea's denuclearization and other regional issues.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said Saturday that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke to his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono by phone and reaffirmed their commitment to the North's complete denuclearization and their alliance.

The spokesperson said the two sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to the goal of the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea and reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance.

She said Pompeo also reiterated Washington's commitment to working with the Japanese government across a broad agenda of regional and global issues.

The talks came amid a trade row between South Korea and Japan and heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula after the North's short-range ballistic missiles.

Pompeo and Kono are both expected to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum set to open on Friday in Thailand. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is also set to be present at the forum.