Japan's Def Min, FM to meet with Blinken & Austin in US amid China's assertiveness in SCC

Japan is preparing for Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi visit to the United States for a two-plus-two meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in response to China's assertiveness, according to local media on Sunday. Kyodo News reported, quoting Japanese government sources that Japan and US are considering convening security talks with their foreign and defence ministers in January to deepen their alliance in dealing with China's escalating military aggression.

"Tokyo and Washington are expected to agree to continue working closely on realizing the denuclearization of North Korea as well as maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, where tensions have grown with China stepping up military activities," Kyodo News reported, citing the sources.

According to the media agency, the in-person meeting will take place when Tokyo chooses in December to shoulder more of the costs of stationing US soldiers in Japan starting in fiscal 2022, in response to a request from Washington, and the ministers sign the cost-sharing agreement. Japan and the United States last met in Tokyo in March for a two-plus-two security meeting. The two countries had wanted to arrange the next meeting by the end of the year, but it is now anticipated to be postponed owing to political developments in Japan in December, according to the sources. The security discussions will be the first since Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Cabinet was formed in October. According to Kyodo News, Japan and the United States are planning a summit meeting, although no date has been determined yet.

Japan-US ties

For decades, the United States' security policy in East Asia has been based on its alliance with Japan. As the threat from China and North Korea grows, Japan's role in global security is expanding. The alliance was formed during the post-World War II occupation by the United States. In exchange for keeping a major military presence in Japan, the US agreed to defend the country, which had established a pacifist constitution. In Japan, there are more than 80 US military bases. More American service troops are stationed permanently in Japan than in any other country.

The allies have been debating how to deal with a nuclear-armed North Korea and a more assertive China in recent months. They've also had a squabble over military bases in the United States and cost-sharing. Meanwhile, the alliance continues to be strained by long-standing disagreements over topics such as U.S. military bases on Okinawa and cost-sharing. The Trump administration exacerbated the issue over Japan's financial commitments to the alliance, openly accusing Tokyo of failing to pay enough to house US soldiers, but President Joe Biden has downplayed difficulties in the relationship thus far.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP