Defense Minister Han Min-koo and his Japanese counterpart, Gen Nakatani, were to hold talks Tuesday to discuss military issues, including Japan's recent security legislation that expands Japanese forces role abroad.

The talks scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul will mark the top defense officials' second meeting this year following the previous one held in Singapore on the sidelines of a regional security forum in May. 

It will also mark the first visit by a Japanese defense minister to South Korea in nearly five years.

In the meeting, Han and Nakatani will delve into security threats posed by North Korea's nuclear and missile capacities, as well as ways to enhance military cooperation between their countries.

Focus will also likely be on Japan's recent enactment of a package of security laws that allow its forces to fight alongside its allies abroad.

Han may voice South Korea's stance that Japan's expanded collective self-defense power cannot be exercised on the Korean Peninsula without prior consent or request from the South. (Yonhap)