New defense chief Nakatani, Austin vow to enhance Japan-US alliance

NAPLES, Italy (Kyodo) — New Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin agreed Saturday to further enhance the deterrence and response capabilities of the bilateral alliance, Japan’s government said, amid security challenges posed by China and North Korea.

During their first face-to-face talks since Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba took office on Oct. 1, held in Naples in southern Italy, Nakatani told Austin that Japan is committed to significantly strengthening its defense capabilities, the Defense Ministry said.

The two shared a “strong sense of crisis” with recent moves occurring around Japan in mind, the ministry said, in a veiled reference to China’s growing military assertiveness, including the first-ever intrusion by a Chinese military plane into Japanese airspace in August.

“To reinforce the alliance, I hope Japan and the United States will work closely as one,” Nakatani said at the outset of the meeting. Austin said the U.S. commitment to the defense of Japan remains unwavering, mentioning his nation’s “extended deterrence,” which includes the nuclear protection provided to its allies.

The talks, held on the fringes of a Group of Seven gathering the same day, came as Ishiba’s government has emphasized that the Japan-U.S. alliance remains the cornerstone of Japanese diplomacy and security.

The new Japanese leader’s ideas have included what could lead to frictions, such as revising a bilateral pact governing the handling of U.S. service personnel in Japan to create a more “equal” partnership.

Nakatani later told reporters that he did not bring up the issue of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement in the meeting, adding that there were many other important matters to discuss.

The defense chiefs also affirmed the two countries will improve their command and control frameworks for better coordination, the ministry said.

Washington has been planning to convert U.S. Forces Japan into a joint force headquarters with more operational responsibilities amid concerns over the limited role of the current USFJ in dealing with contingencies in the region.

The revamped USFJ will serve as a counterpart to the Japanese Self-Defense Forces’ joint operations command to be set up by March 2025 to direct the ground, maritime and air branches.

Nakatani and Austin vowed to effectively operate Japan’s “counterstrike capabilities” of attacking targets in enemy territory directly in an emergency, according to the ministry. They also confirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, it said, amid China’s increasing military pressure on Taiwan.