Shirley Jang, a spokeswoman for the White House East Asia division, said the talks were meant only to “explore the broader strategic framework that will guide our relationship going forward.”

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“This includes a range of topics,” she said. “We hope that leaders will take a look at the full range of interests.”

As if to underline the seriousness of the issue in the eyes of many people in Japan and South Korea, North Korea launched the first test of a satellite in July in defiance of international condemnation.

At the same time, North Korea recently began a series of three nuclear tests, adding to the pressure on Japan, which also hosts an American military base in Japan and is among the few allies that do not trust the United States.

South Korean officials acknowledge that the political pressure on North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, also has the potential to affect his leadership of the country. The North Korean leader would be subject to prosecution if he was found guilty, they say, and the threat of action could be enough to compel him — and his regime — to curtail an increasingly unpredictable and erratic behavior that has increasingly alarmed its neighbors.

Japan’s government has also been worried about Mr. Kim’s behavior, and even after the latest satellite test, its government remained optimistic about its relationship with the state and its nuclear program. The leaders of Japan and South Korea “are both confident in their countries’ ability to deal with situations,” said Toshihisa Yamauchi, who heads the National Security Council of Japan.

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“A good relationship would provide a security guarantee,” Mr. Yamauchi said, “and more importantly, it would keep the Korean Peninsula peaceful.”

While the North’s nuclear program has become a major concern since the last round of talks in 2005, they ended without any action by the two Koreas at the table. Although South Korea, Japan and the United States have said they are willing to discuss the issue at the upcoming summit, the level of talks is now significantly lower than it has been in the recent past.

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