Environment ministers of South Korea and Japan have held talks on the sidelines of the Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting of South Korea, China and Japan.

In the bilateral meeting held on Monday morning in Kita-Kyushu of Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture, South Korea’s Environment Minister Yoon Seong-kyu and his Japanese counterpart Nobuteru Ishihara agreed to work together to help China address dust and sandstorms, saying the dust originating in China is affecting all three countries.

The two sides agreed on the need to launch a trilateral policy dialogue to discuss environmental issues. They also agreed to work for the early launch of the UN’s Green Climate Fund and to secure finance for it.

It is the first time for a South Korean minister to visit Japan and hold a bilateral meeting with Japanese officials since the launch of the Park Geun-hye government amid strained relations between Seoul and Tokyo over historical issues.