Japan and Canada agreed Tuesday to strengthen cooperation on counterterrorism at a meeting of their vice foreign and defense ministers in Tokyo, the Foreign Ministry said.

Japan, Canada and the other Group of Seven countries — Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the United States — plan at their summit next month to adopt an action plan on countering terrorism in the wake of the attacks by Islamic State militants in Brussels and Paris.

The Japanese and Canadian officials also reaffirmed that nations must act in accordance with international law amid concerns raised by China's construction and potential use for military purposes of facilities in contested waters of the South China Sea, the ministry said.

That issue is also expected to be discussed at the G-7 summit in May.

Japan was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama and Vice Defense Minister for International Affairs Toru Mimura in the so-called two-plus-two security talks, the third of their kind.

Canada was represented by Daniel Jean, deputy minister of foreign affairs, and John Forster, deputy minister of national defense.

The officials also agreed to continue to pressure North Korea to halt its nuclear weapon and missile development programs in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning such activities.

On Monday, South Korea said North Korea appeared to be preparing for a fifth nuclear test.