Japan, U.S. Foreign, Defense Ministers to meet in Jan.

Jiji Press

10:46 JST, November 10, 2022

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Foreign and defense ministers from Japan and the United States are expected to hold a meeting in January, Japanese government sources said Wednesday.

The Japanese ministers are expected to brief their U.S. counterparts on Tokyo’s three key national security documents, to be updated later this year.

Tokyo also hopes that the two sides will discuss ways to bolster cooperation between Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military.

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada will attend the meeting for Japan, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will take part for the U.S. side.

The two sides are also expected to discuss North Korea’s ballistic missile launches and rising tensions over Taiwan.

The foreign and defense ministers from Japan and the United States last met virtually in January. No in-person session has not taken place since March 2021.