Kishida Seeks Enhanced Military Cooperation with US and Other Nations
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan aims to strengthen military and weapons development cooperation with the United States and other countries like the Philippines. This comes ahead of his visit to the US next week, where he will meet with President Joe Biden.
Kishida emphasized the importance of defense industry cooperation between Japan, the US, and like-minded countries. He intends to improve deterrence and response capabilities within the Japan-US alliance, including promoting security cooperation in defense equipment and technology.
The agenda for Kishida's visit is expected to focus on deepening security and defense ties and expanding arms co-development between the three nations. This follows Japan's adoption of a more expansive national security strategy in 2022, leading to a military buildup and increased willingness to cooperate with the US.
The leaders are also expected to discuss establishing a unified command on each side, a new framework for weapons co-development, and repair and maintenance of US warships in Japan.
Japan and the US are also stepping up defense ties with the Philippines due to shared concerns about China's role in the region. The three leaders are expected to discuss strengthening security cooperation as tensions rise between China and the Philippines over their rival territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Another key area of cooperation is space. Kishida and Biden are expected to confirm Japan's participation in NASA's Artemis moon program and its contribution of a moon rover. The US and Japan are also expected to announce plans aimed at boosting the number of Japanese students studying at US universities.
During his visit, Kishida also plans to highlight Japan's economic contributions in the United States and meet with business leaders.