USA And Japan Condemn Russia's Military Cooperation With China, North Korea

The United States and Japan today condemned Russia's growing military cooperation with China and North Korea during a meeting between the two countries' defense and foreign secretaries.

In a joint statement issued in Tokyo, the two countries “note with concern Russia's growing and provocative strategic military cooperation” with China and “strongly condemned the deepening cooperation between Russia and North Korea”.

 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin joined Japanese counterparts Yoko Kamikawa and Minoru Kihara at the Japan-US Security Consultative Committee to reaffirm their alliance following the withdrawal of President Joe Biden from the US presidential race.

“We are at a turning point in history, as the rules-based, free and open international order is being shaken,” said Japanese Defense Secretary Kamikawa, adding that ”this is a critical phase.”

In the committee's opening speech, the US Secretary of Defense said that China is “engaging in coercive behavior, trying to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas, around Tawain and throughout the region”.

Austin also pointed out that North Korea's nuclear program and deepening cooperation with Russia “threaten regional and global security”.

cooperation with Russia “threatens regional and global security”.

The American also said that the ministers planned to discuss at the meeting “historic efforts to modernize” the command and control structures of the US and Japan, which would involve upgrading the US system so that in March there would be a unified command and control.

“It will be one of the most significant developments in the history of our alliance,” said Austin.

Japan is home to more than 50,000 US troops, but the commander of US forces in Japan does not have command authority, with that authority resting with the Indo-Pacific command in Hawaii.

At the same time, officials are expected to discuss the strengthening of intelligence coordination, surveillance and cybersecurity, skills that Japan needs to improve in order to face future threats.

The meeting is also expected to discuss increasing Japanese production of PAC-3 surface-to-air missile interceptors for export to the US.

Japan and the US have been accelerating cooperation in the arms industry following an agreement signed in April between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Joe Biden.

Before the meeting, the Japanese Secretary of State met with the US Secretary of Defense and South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik. The meeting resulted in the signing of a memorandum that serves as the basis for future defense cooperation between the three countries.