SINGAPORE: Japanese Defense Minister KIHARA Minoru and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had talks in Singapore on Sunday and reaffirmed the two countries’ plan to strengthen command and control coordination to enhance the joint operational capability of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military.

In light of tensions across the Taiwan Strait, Kihara and Austin agreed to boost the joint presence of Japan and the United States in Japan’s southwestern region, while reiterating their commitment to expanding the sharing of defense facilities and joint drills.

The two officials also agreed to accelerate coordination on cooperation involving their countries’ defense industries, such as joint missile development and production and the maintenance of U.S. warships in Japan.

They discussed the strengthening of the United States’ extended deterrence, including its nuclear umbrella, and reconfirmed that they will promote cooperation among like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Japanese and U.S. governments are planning to hold a “two-plus-two” security meeting of their foreign and defense ministers in Tokyo in July. The planned meeting is expected to discuss specific measures, including command and control coordination, based on the Kihara-Austin talks.

In April, Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to realize a more effective command and control framework under the Japan-U.S. alliance. Japan plans to establish a joint operations command for the Ground, Maritime and Air SDFs by the end of fiscal 2024, while the United States is considering expanding the authority of U.S. Forces Japan.

JIJI Press