Japan PM Ishiba, U.S. Defense Secretary Austin Agree to Work More Closely on Security

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:44 JST, December 11, 2024

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that their countries would enhance security cooperation, at a meeting in the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Ishiba said he hoped that Japan and the United States will work together to further strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the alliance to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Austin replied that the Japan-U.S. alliance had never been more important.

The two confirmed their countries will continue working to upgrade the command capabilities of the Self-Defense Forces and U.S. military and to promote cooperation on defense equipment and technology.

They also agreed that Japan and the United States need to continue cooperation with like-minded countries.