Voice of America
11 Jan 2023, 16:38 GMT+10
State Department - The United States and Japan will outline Wednesday actions to deter intensifying Chinese military threats in the East China Sea and around Taiwan, including plans to reorganize U.S. Marine Corps units based in Okinawa.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hold the so-called 2+2 meeting Wednesday in Washington with Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa and Japanese Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu.
A senior State Department official said the U.S. and Japan will release a joint statement that lays out "countermeasures" amid rising security threats from the People's Republic of China.
"The big challenge is China, which over the course of the last 15 to 20 years has really ramped up its bellicose behavior, not just in the South China Sea, not just in the border regions of its neighboring countries, but also in the East China Sea, around Senkaku and around Taiwan," said the official who briefed reporters on background.
The official told VOA "the free flow of commerce through the waters around Taiwan and further south to the South China Sea is one of the huge issues at stake" for Japan and other countries.
Japan's PM Kishida Vows Deeper Alliance With US on Defense
The United States would discuss its plan to disperse its Marine units throughout Japan's Okinawa islands by 2026 and arm them with missiles as well as lighter gear to deter China's military, according to the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun.
A recent report by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said the United States must be able to use its bases in Japan for combat operations in the event of a Chinese invasion in Taiwan.
"Without the use of U.S. bases in Japan, U.S. fighter and attack aircraft cannot effectively participate in the war," said the CSIS report.
Wednesday's talks between U.S. and Japanese diplomatic and defense chiefs come two days before U.S. President Joe Biden is set to host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House.
Japan's Kishida Highlights Security Concerns on Trip to Europe, US
The deepening of the U.S.-Japan strategic alliance followed the release of Japan's new National Security Strategy under which it will roughly double defense spending over the next five years and for the first time deploy missiles that can hit military targets in other countries.
Under New Defense Plan, Japan May Become 'Normal' World Power
Get a daily dose of Japan Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Japan Herald.
More InformationWASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration is seeking a delay in the legal battle between U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel over their blocked...
SEATTLE/WASHINGTON D.C.: U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said last week that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is...
Washington DC [US], March 22 (ANI): The United States has announced fresh sanctions targeting a Chinese teapot refinery for purchasing...
(250321) -- TOKYO, March 21, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (2nd R), also a member of the Political Bureau of the...
New Delhi [India] March 22 (ANI): Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh's wife, Hazel Keech, has shared her views on the Board of Control...
(250321) -- TOKYO, March 21, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R), also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist...
NEW YORK, New York - Uncertainty continues to plague investors on Wall Street with Friday's trading being volatile and weak. The major...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. factories ramped up production in February, with a sharp rebound in motor vehicle output helping to drive manufacturing...
Elon Musk's Teslas' are in the running to take over the transport of Israel's government officials. Musk's company, Tesla Inc., has...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration is seeking a delay in the legal battle between U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel over their blocked...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks were on the defensive Thursday as investors and traders weighed the Fed's policy decision of a day...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The expansion of U.S. natural gas infrastructure in 2024 significantly boosted the country's ability to transport...