U.S., Japan vow to strengthen alliance against North Korea, China

WASHINGTON - The U.S. and Japan unveiled plans Wednesday to strengthen their alliance to counter threats from North Korea and China, which they called the greatest security challenge in the region.

In unusually blunt terms, the U.S. and Japanese foreign and defense ministers condemned China's increasing aggressiveness in the Indo-Pacific and other areas, called out Russia for its war with Ukraine and castigated North Korea for ramping up its nuclear and missile programs.

In a joint statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and their Japanese counterparts, Yoshimasa Hayashi and Yasukazu Hamada, said that China presents an unprecedented threat to international order and vowed to redouble their efforts to counter it.

China s foreign policy wants to reshape international order to its benefit and to employ China's growing political, economic, military and technological power to that end, the statement said. This behavior is of serious concern to the alliance and the entire international community, and is the greatest strategic challenge in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. The four men agreed to adjust the American troop presence on the island of Okinawa in order to improve anti-ship capabilities that would be needed in the event of a Chinese incursion into Taiwan or other hostile acts in the South or East China Seas.

They also added a formal mention of outer space in the longstanding U.S.-Japanese Security Treaty, making clear that attacks to, from and within space could trigger the mutual defense provisions of the treaty. It was previously outside the scope of the agreement. The U.S. space agency plans to sign a cooperation deal with Japan on Friday, they said.

Prior to the meeting, Japan s defense ministry announced it was ready to start construction on an uninhabited island where the two militaries will hold joint military exercises beginning in 2027.

The agreement signed Wednesday shows the efforts of the two nations to deepen cooperation across all areas, including space, cybersecurity and emerging technologies, according to Blinken.

He said the U.S.-Japanese alliance is the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, and is the key to the security, the liberty and prosperity of our people and people across the region. The talks will be followed by a meeting between President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday, where they will emphasize the importance of the relationship.

Kishida signed a defense agreement with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday, which strengthens military ties between their two countries, as a result of China's visit to allies in Europe and North America.

Austin noted that Wednesday s agreement affirms America's ironclad commitment to defend Japan with a full range of capabilities, including nuclear, and underscores that Article 5 of the mutual security treaty applies to the Senkaku Islands. The disputed islands outside Japanese territorial waters are also claimed by Beijing.

The agreement followed Japan's announcement last year that it would increase defense spending to 2% of gross domestic product over five years. That would make its defense budget the world's third largest — a dramatic shift in Tokyo's priorities that reflect growing concerns about North Korea and potential Chinese military action against Taiwan.

Japan is stepping up big time and doing so in lockstep with the United States, partners in the Indo-Pacific, and Europe, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said, adding that Biden's engagement with allies is paying huge dividends for global security.

There is a growing fear of a Taiwan emergency, but many in the region are concerned that defense buildups by China and the US and its allies could increase the risks of being embroiled in war.