Washington, Feb 23 (IANS): US State Department on Friday said that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his Japanese counterpart discussed the next-step engagement with North Korea over phone.

Pompeo and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono on Thursday reaffirmed their shared commitment to the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, the State Department said in a statement, reports Xinhua.

The two also committed to strengthening trilateral cooperation with the Republic of Korea on a unified approach toward North Korea, according to the statement.

The phone call between the two allies' top diplomats came one day after US President Donald Trump's call with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The White House said Wednesday that the two leaders committed to coordinating closely in advance of the US-North Korea upcoming Hanoi summit.

Trump announced on February 8 that his second meeting with North Korea's top leader Kim Jong Un would take place in Hanoi of Vietnam on February 27-28.