New Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin held a meeting on Saturday and agreed to further strengthen a bilateral alliance aimed at deterring threats from China and North Korea.
In Nepal, southern Italy, during their first face-to-face talks, Nakatani told Austin that Japan was seeking to significantly strengthen its defence capabilities, the defence ministry said. Austin also reiterated the US commitment to Japan’s defence remains unwavering, mentioning “extended deterrence,” which includes nuclear protection provided to its allies.
The ministry stated that the two sides share the recent crisis around Japan triggered by China’s growing military assertiveness, including the first-ever incursion of a Chinese warplane into Japanese airspace in August. US, Japan will also improve their command and control systems for better coordination, the ministry said. They also pledged to effectively use Japan’s “counter-offensive capabilities” to attack targets in enemy territory directly in an emergency, according to the ministry.
The talks, held on the sidelines of the Group of Seven meeting the same day, came amid the Shigeru Ishiba government’s declaration the Japan-US alliance remains the cornerstone of Japan’s diplomacy and security. However, among the new Japanese leader’s ideas are some that could cause tensions, such as revising a bilateral pact governing the treatment of US military personnel in Japan.
The US plans to transform the US Armed Forces in Japan into a joint force headquarters with greater operational authority amid concerns about the limited role of the current US Forces in handling contingencies in the region. The revamped US Self-Defence Force will serve as a counterpart to the Japan Self-Defence Force Joint Operations Command, which will be established by March 2025 to manage land, sea and air forces.
