NHK has learned that Japan’s national security chief will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing to discuss North Korea’s recent troop deployment to Russia to fight Ukraine.

Sources say Japan’s National Security Secretariat Secretary General Akiba Takeo headed to Beijing on Sunday and is expected to meet Wang on Monday.

They say the two officials will discuss how North Korean troop involvement in Ukraine could impact East Asia and possible ways to respond to the move.

A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry indicated on Friday that China will not intervene in relations between North Korea and Russia.

He said that they are two independent sovereign states and how they develop their bilateral relations is a matter for themselves.

Japanese diplomatic sources say the Japanese government recognizes the importance of exchanging views with China as there is speculation that Beijing is frustrated by deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia.

Akiba and Wang are also expected to discuss arrangements for holding a Japan-China summit.