U.S. diplomats heads to Japan to discuss N Korea and LGBTQ rights

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will visit Japan next week in a show of unity after North Korea's slew of missile launches and exercises, officials said Thursday.

Sherman will visit Tokyo from Monday through Wednesday, meeting senior officials and also holding joint three-way talks with the vice foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea, both U.S. allies, according to japantoday.com

In Japan, Sherman will also hold a roundtable with LGBTQ community leaders and discuss marriage equality, the official said.

President Joe Biden’s administration has promised to prioritise LGBTQ rights on the global stage and Japan is seen a country where U.S. encouragement could make an impact, japantoday.com reports.