Japan, U.S. Defense Chiefs Affirm Deeper Cooperation over China

Singapore, May 30 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth agreed Saturday to further deepen the two countries’ cooperation over China, which is stepping up military coercion. At a meeting in Singapore, they also affirmed a policy of speeding up joint development and production by Japan and the United States of Standard Missile-3 Block 2A interceptor missiles and other equipment. In addition, they agreed to reinforce deterrent and response capabilities in the Nansei region of southwestern Japan. “I feel the United States’ commitment is unwavering,” Koizumi said after the meeting, in response to concerns over the country’s weakening engagement in East Asia. On bilateral cooperation regarding defense equipment and technologies, Koizumi said that defense industry cooperation is “one of the most important issues for the Japan-U.S. alliance” amid rising global demand for missiles. Hegseth welcomed Japan’s revisions in April of its three principles on defense equipment transfers and their implementation guidelines, which have basically made the country’s arms exports possible. The move will strengthen regional deterrence and further contribute to peace and stability, he said. Koizumi and Hegseth also exchanged views on Middle East tensions. The U.S. side made no specific request regarding the dispatch of Japanese Self-Defense Forces ships to the region, according to Koizumi. It was the fourth in-person meeting between Koizumi and Hegseth since the Japanese defense chief took office last October. Koizumi briefed Hegseth on Japan’s efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities, including plans to revise the country’s three key security-related documents–the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy and the Defense Buildup Program-by the end of this year. The meeting took place on the sidelines of this year’s Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, in Singapore. In an address to the international meeting Saturday, Hegseth said, “The era of the United States subsidizing the defense of wealthy nations is over,” reiterating Washington’s demand that U.S. allies in the region should increase their defense spending to 3.5 pct of gross domestic product. Hegseth praised Japan for “taking concrete steps to accelerate its defense transformation.” Still, he added “We have high expectations of our Japanese allies, and together we can and must each pull our weight to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance,” implicitly urging Tokyo to take further steps, such as increasing its defense outlays. Later on Saturday, Koizumi also met with South Korean National Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back. They agreed that the Japanese Maritime SDF and the South Korean navy will conduct a joint search and rescue drill in June, the first such exercise in about nine years. The two ministers also talked about a South Korea visit by Koizumi planned for late June. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]