The leaders of Japan, the United States and the Philippines are likely to agree to step up cooperation in economic security when they hold a summit next week.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is set to visit the US next week for talks with President Joe Biden.

Kishida and Biden will meet Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who will be visiting Washington. It will be the first summit between the three leaders.

The leaders are likely to agree to deepen economic security ties, such as building more resilient supply chains for nickel and other critical minerals and semiconductors. Nickel is an essential material for electric vehicle batteries.

Japan and the US are expected to offer support for the Philippines in commercializing small nuclear reactors that Manila aims to introduce for power generation.

The three leaders are also expected to reaffirm the promotion of defense cooperation including joint exercises, in the face of China's increasingly assertive behavior. The Philippines has a long-standing territorial dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea.

Kishida hopes to deepen defense and economic relations with the US as well as the Philippines, to contribute to peace and stability in the region.