South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand are reportedly coordinating a four-nation summit on the occasion of the upcoming NATO summit next month in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun daily issued the report on Friday, quoting a Japanese government official.

The Yomiuri said that the leaders of the four countries are expected to address issues such as responses to China's attempt to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas and cooperation with South Pacific island countries, where China is strengthening its influence.

As NATO's Asia-Pacific partners, the four countries were again invited to this year’s summit, with the alliance’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg saying in early June that the leaders of the four Asia-Pacific nations will all attend the NATO summit for a second time.

If the four-way summit is realized, President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will meet for the second time in about two months after holding talks during the Group of Seven Summit in Japan.