TOKYO: Arrangements are underway for Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to hold a meeting in Tokyo on June 1, Japanese government sources said Friday.

They are expected to reaffirm a policy of strengthening the Japan-US alliance’s deterrence and response capabilities.

Specific agenda items are likely to include cooperation between the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the US military in light of Japan’s plan to possess counterstrike capabilities.

Hamada and Austin are also expected to exchange opinions over North Korea, which has been repeatedly launching ballistic missiles, and China, which is boosting its military activities.

The Japanese and US defense chiefs are slated to attend the Asia Security Summit, to be held in Singapore June 2-4. They may hold a trilateral meeting there with their South Korean counterpart on the sidelines of the security summit, known as the Shangri-La Dialogue.

JIJI Press