U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Japan on Sunday, accompanied by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, where they held talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Goko Kamikawa and National Defense Minister Minoru Kihara.
According to MTI, the ministers in their joint statement stressed the importance of the US-Japan alliance, which is “the cornerstone of peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.”
A key element of the agreements reached at the meeting is the establishment of a joint military command center in Japan to facilitate cooperation between the two countries' forces.
Blinken and Austin also reaffirmed the US commitment to so-called extended deterrence to protect Japan. Extended deterrence refers to the US’s willingness to use the full range of its military capabilities, including its nuclear arsenal, to defend its ally.
According to the joint statement, the current agreements are a response to growing threats in the region. The document highlights that China’s foreign policy aims to change the international order to its advantage at the expense of others. China’s increasing displays of force in the South China Sea and its rapid development of its nuclear arsenal pose “serious concerns.” At the same time, the ministers strongly criticized North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, as well as the growing cooperation between Pyongyang, Beijing and Moscow.
