Austin, the common tasks of the US and Japan are “China coercion, North Korea provocation, Russian aggression”
Hamada “You must not allow unilateral changes to the status quo by force”
The Yomiuri Shimbun and the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that the defense ministers of the United States and Japan had a meeting in Tokyo on the 1st amid the escalating missile threat from North Korea.
According to reports, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada met at the Ministry of Defense this morning.
At the meeting of the defense ministers of the United States and Japan that day, it is known that they discussed the trends of North Korea, which is developing nuclear weapons and missiles, and China, which is actively engaged in activities in the East and South China Seas, and confirmed the strengthening of the US-Japan alliance. In particular, the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. cooperated to make a full response to the military reconnaissance satellite that North Korea said it would launch again.
At the beginning of the meeting, Defense Minister Hamada mentioned the possibility of additional launches after North Korea had launched a ballistic missile that it claimed was an artificial satellite the day before, stressing that “there is a need to strengthen cooperation between the US and Japan and between the US and Japan and South Korea.”
Minister Austin cited “China’s coercive behavior, North Korea’s provocative behavior, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine” as common tasks for the US and Japan. Referring to the combined exercises between South Korea, the US, Japan and Japan, the US and Australia, he explained that he would pursue an “innovative approach to multilateral cooperation to strengthen deterrence.”
At the meeting that day, the two ministers agreed to accelerate discussions for the early operation of a system in which South Korea, the U.S. and Japan can immediately share information on North Korea’s missile launches, and agreed that ‘extended deterrence’, in which the United States protects Japan with all its capabilities, including nuclear weapons, is Japan’s own. They shared the perception that it was indispensable along with strengthening defense capabilities.
Regarding the US-Japan consultations over extended deterrence, Defense Minister Hamada said, “There is a need to further strengthen active and in-depth discussions.”
The defense ministers of the United States and Japan reaffirmed their intention to further strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the US-Japan alliance, bearing in mind China, which is proceeding with an opaque form of arms buildup, including nuclear forces. He also reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, given China’s risk of a Taiwan emergency.
Secretary Austin said, “The US promise to Japan is unwavering. “The US military and the Self-Defense Forces will continue to defend Japan, strengthen regional peace and deterrence, and maintain international order based on rules,” he said.
In response, Defense Minister Hamada stressed that “unilateral changes or attempts to change the status quo by force must not be permitted in any region, including the Indo-Pacific.”
The two ministers will also attend the Asian Security Conference (Shangri-La Dialogue) to be held in Singapore on the 24th. During this security meeting, the defense ministers of the Republic of Korea, the United States, Japan, and Australia will each hold talks. The first meeting of defense ministers from the four countries plus Australia and the Philippines will also be held to discuss joint exercises in the Pacific to jointly deter China and North Korea.
Nihon Keizai pointed out, “Prior to these talks, Minister Austin intends to visit Japan to once again show the solidity of the US-Japan alliance at home and abroad and broaden the framework of security cooperation with the US and Japan as the axis.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.