US-Japan talks focus on bolstering cooperation amid rising China threat

Japanese and US defence chiefs and top diplomats will meet in Tokyo on Sunday for talks aimed at further bolstering their military cooperation, including by upgrading the command and control of US forces and strengthening American-licensed missile production in Japan, amid a rising threat from China.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will join their Japanese counterparts, Yoko Kamikawa and Minoru Kihara, at the Japan-US Security Consultative Committee, known as 2+2 security talks, to reaffirm their alliance following President Joe Biden 's withdrawal from the November presidential race.

For the first time, the ministers will hold separate talks to reaffirm the US commitment to extended deterrence, which includes atomic weapons a shift from Japan's earlier reluctance to openly discuss the sensitive issue in the world's only country to have suffered nuclear attacks amid growing nuclear threats from Russia and China.

The ministers are expected to discuss plans to upgrade command and control structures for US forces in Japan by bringing in higher-ranked officers with commanding authority to create a US counterpart for Japan's unified command currently set for inauguration in March.

Japan is home to more than 50,000 US troops, but a commander for the US Forces Japan headquartered in Yokota in the western suburbs of Tokyo, tasked with managing their bases, has no commanding authority. Instead that comes from the Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii. The plan to upgrade USFJ's command and control capability is designed to help smooth joint exercises and operations, officials say.

Ahead of the 2+2 talks, Kihara met with Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik for their first trilateral defense talks hosted by Tokyo and signed a memorandum based on their June agreement in Singapore that institutionalizes their regular high-level talks, joint exercises and other exchanges.

Defense officials said the memorandum serves as the basis for future defense cooperation among the three countries despite possible changes of leadership, while showcasing their unity.

The signing of this memorandum makes our trilateral cooperation unwavering even under changing global environments, Kihara told reporters.

Kihara also met Shin, who is the first South Korean defense chief to visit Japan in 15 years, and they agreed to take concrete steps to deepen their bilateral defense ties.

Japan has been accelerating its military buildup and has increased joint operations with the US, as well as with South Korea, while trying to strengthen its largely domestic defense industry.

Japan has significantly eased its arms export restrictions and in December accommodated a US request for shipment of surface-to-air PAC-3 missile interceptors produced in Japan under an American license to replenish US inventories, which have decreased due to its support for Ukraine.

The ministers are also expected to discuss increased Japanese production of PAC-3 interceptors for export to the United States.

Japan and the US have been accelerating arms industry cooperation following an April agreement between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Biden. The two sides have set up working groups for missile co-production and for the maintenance and repair of US Navy ships and Air Force aircraft in the region.

While Japan's role is largely designed to help US weapons supply and keep its deterrence credible in the Indo-Pacific amid continuing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, Japanese officials say it will help strengthen the Japanese defense industry.