## Kishida to Strengthen Military Cooperation with US and Others
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans to strengthen military and weapons development cooperation with the United States and other countries like the Philippines during his upcoming visit to the U.S. He emphasizes the importance of defense industry cooperation for improving deterrence within the Japan-U.S. alliance.
Kishida's visit, the first state visit to Washington since Shinzo Abe in 2015, will focus on deepening security and defense ties and expanding arms co-development. His government has taken bold steps to accelerate Japan's military buildup and bolster deterrence against China.
Japan has purchased U.S. Tomahawk missiles, relaxed weapons export guidelines, and is co-developing a fighter jet with Britain and Italy. The two leaders are expected to discuss establishing a unified command, a new framework for weapons co-development, and allowing repair of U.S. warships in Japan.
Japan and the U.S. are also strengthening defense ties with the Philippines due to shared concerns about China's role in the region. The three leaders will discuss strengthening security cooperation amid rising tensions between China and the Philippines over their rival territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Other key areas of cooperation include space, with Japan participating in NASA's Artemis moon program, and education, with plans to boost the number of Japanese students studying at U.S. universities.
During his visit, Kishida will also highlight Japan's economic contributions in the United States, aiming to gain the understanding of the American public regardless of the outcome of this year's presidential election.