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U.S. Department of Defense
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J.
Austin III held his first in-person bilateral engagement with Japanese Minister of Defense Nobuo Kishi, today in Tokyo.
During the meeting, Secretary Austin reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-Japan Alliance in upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific, and highlighted that the Alliance is the cornerstone of regional security and stability.
He also emphasized the need for the Alliance to prepare for long-term challenges.
The two leaders addressed a broad range of defense issues, to include China’s growing capabilities and aggressive actions in the East and South China Seas, the threat from North Korean nuclear and missile programs, the importance of Japan’s role in regional security, advanced capabilities development, building partner capacity, and enhancing multilateral cooperation.