June 4, 2019
On June 4, commencing from around 2 p.m. for approximately about 15 minutes, Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga met with the Honorable Patrick M. Shanahan, Acting Secretary of Defense of the United States of America, during his visit to Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
1. At the beginning, Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga stated that it was very meaningful to be able to meet with Acting Secretary of Defense Shanahan again, following their meeting during his visit to the United States the previous month. In response, Acting Secretary of Defense Shanahan stated that this is a unique opportunity to bring the Japan-U.S. Alliance to a new level under the strong leadership of the two leaders.
2. Based on the meeting held last month, Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga and Acting Secretary of Defense Shanahan reaffirmed that they would steadily implement the realignment of the U.S. Forces in Japan, including the relocation of Futenma Air Station to Henoko, and measures to mitigate impact on local communities, while maintaining the deterrence of the Japan-U.S. alliance.
3. They also exchanged views on the regional situation and confirmed that Japan and the United States would strengthen their unity on the situation in North Korea and continue to work together to realize a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.