A U.S.-based think tank has warned the South Korea-Japan trade spat is a "full-blown emergency" that merits Washington's utmost attention.
The Center for Strategic & International Studies says that, from their recent visits to South Korea, U.S. officials saw the need for trilateral cooperation.
Seoul and Tokyo continue to refuse to meet... and the center recommends the U.S. encourage a leaders' summit on the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly.
It also said the U.S. must take a firm stand at the highest levels about the importance of these relationships to U.S. interests.