Japan and the US have agreed to further enhance the deterrence and response capabilities of the bilateral alliance, amid security challenges posed by China and North Korea. New Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reached this agreement during their first face-to-face talks since Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba took office on Oct. 1, Japan’s News Agency (Kyodo) reported. During the meeting, held in the Italian city of Naples, Nakatani assured Austin of Japan’s commitment to significantly strengthening its defense capabilities, in light of escalating regional challenges. The two shared a “strong sense of crisis” with recent moves occurring around Japan in mind, the Japanese Defense Ministry said, in a veiled reference to China’s growing military assertiveness, including the first-ever intrusion by a Chinese military plane into Japanese airspace in August. For his part, Austin said the US commitment to the defense of Japan remains unwavering, mentioning his nation’s “extended deterrence,” which includes the nuclear protection provided to its allies. The talks, held on the fringes of a Group of Seven (G7) gathering the same day, came as Ishiba’s government has emphasized that the Japan-US alliance remains the cornerstone of Japanese diplomacy and security. The talks also addressed the possibility of reviewing some bilateral agreements to improve coordination and strengthen the defense partnership, including the US Status of Forces Agreement in Japan. Washington has been planning to convert US Forces Japan into a joint force headquarters with more operational responsibilities amid concerns over the limited role of the current United States Forces Japan (USFJ) in dealing with contingencies in the region
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