IRIA News

U.S. and Japan agreed to further strengthen the Security Alliance as Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada meet at the Pentagon on January 12, 2023.

The defense leaders of the U.S. and Japan a day before the official meeting between President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House.

According to the Pentagon release, U.S. Defense Secretary Austin and Japanese Defense Minister Hamada signed a bilateral Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Memorandum of Understanding and a bilateral, non-binding Security of Supply Arrangement.

Austin stressed that “The memo commits the two nations to work together on emerging technology to improve defense capabilities,” including technologies such as high-power microwaves, autonomous systems, and counter-hypersonics.

The Pentagon statement quoted the U.S. defense secretary as saying that “The security of supply arrangement will increase cooperation between our respective defense supply chains and build critical linkages between our defense industrial bases.”

The two defense ministers also discussed wide-ranging issues related to Japan’s maritime security, China’s coercive behavior, North Korea’s increasingly aggressive behavior, and missile threats, as well as the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Austin said that Russia’s “cruel, unprovoked and unjustifiable war of choice” against Ukraine has changed the strategic calculus well beyond the theater of operations.

During his meeting with the Japanese defense minister, Austin said that “This year is an inflection point for our national security and defense strategies aligning closer than ever… And with our shared goal of a new era of alliance modernization, I strongly support Japan’s updated national security policies including decisions to increase defense spending [to acquire] counterstrike capabilities.”

Austin lauded the United States’ plan to station a Marine Littoral Regiment in Japan by 2025 and said that the U.S. would update and modernize its force posture in Japan “by forward stationing more versatile, mobile and resilient capabilities.”

The U.S. defense secretary highlighted that the U.S.-Japan Alliance “remains a cornerstone of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.”

Austin also stressed the urgency to work closely with regional allies and partners including South Korea and Australia and said that “I’m encouraged by the work we’re doing with our partners like Australia and the Republic of Korea. And I also want to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the defense of Japan, including U.S. extended deterrence provided by the full range of conventional and nuclear capabilities.”

The U.S. and Japanese defense ministers also joined U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi for the “2+2” talks. The ministers of both countries welcomed the release of their respective National Security Strategies and National Defense Strategies and confirmed the alignment of their “vision, priorities, and goals.”

Japanese ministers told their American counterparts that Japan supports the U.S. plan to optimize its force posture and welcomed a strong commitment to maintaining a robust presence in the Indo-Pacific region. The U.S. secretaries said that the United States is committed to the defense of Japan under Article V of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.

On January 13, U.S. and Japan also signed a bilateral Space Cooperation Agreement at NASA headquarters. The agreement recognizes the mutual interest in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies. U.S. and Japan seek to enhance cooperation in science, aeronautics, and space technology.

Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi said, “With the exploration and the use of outer space growing increasingly active, the signing of this agreement is of extreme significance.”