Japan, US to hold security dialogue

Tokyo:japan and the United States will hold security talks between their foreign and defense ministers in Washington the day before Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida lands in the US capital next week, wrapping up his tour of the Group of Seven nations as Tokyo expands its military and deepens its alliance with America amid China’s growing influence.

Kishida will embark on Monday on a five-nation trip to France, Italy, Britain and Canada ahead of his Jan.13 summit with US President Joe Biden.

The two leaders last met during a Group of 20 meeting in Bali, Indonesia, but Kishida’s Washington visit will be his first as prime minister.

While there has been speculation about his visit to Ukraine, Kishida said Friday he held telephone talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and told him he’s considering the invitation to Kyiv if “various circumstances” permit, but nothing had been decided at the moment.

Defenseministeryasukazuhamadaandforeign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi will fly to Washington to join their American counterparts Lloyd Austin and Antony Blinken for their “2+2” security talks Wednesday, just before their leaders’ summit at the White House, Japanese officials said Friday.

The “2+2” talks are expected to focus on their new national security strategies, released by Japan in mid-december and the United States in October, and how the two allies plan to tackle security concerns including China, North Korea and Russia.

“We will discuss strengthening of deterrence and response capability of the Japan-u.s. alliance as we take into consideration our new strategy documents,” Hamada told reporters.

Hamada said on Friday he and Austin will separately hold bilateral defense talks on Thursday to discuss details of how their militaries can expand and deepen their operations.

Asked if they will discuss a revision to their current defense guideline based on Japan’s more defensive role, Hamada said nothing has been decided.

Japan in December adopted a set of three security and defense strategy documents that break from its exclusively self-defense-only stance.