On Mar 16, Minister for Foreign Affairs Motegi, Minister of Defense Kishi, Secretary of State Antony Blinken SecBlinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin SecDef, held the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee (SCC) in Tokyo.
The four ministers reaffirmed that the U.S-Japan Alliance remains the cornerstone of peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, and renewed the two countries’ unwavering commitment to the alliance.
Amid growing geopolitical competition and challenges such as COVID-19, climate change, and revitalizing democracy, the United States and Japan renewed their commitment to promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order.
The ministers also agreed to further deepen cooperation to strengthen deterrence and response capabilities of the U.S.-Japan alliance in light of the challenging security environment.
Japan resolved to enhance its capabilities to bolster national defense and further strengthen the Alliance. The United States underscored its unwavering commitment to the defense of Japan through the full range of its capabilities, including nuclear.
The ministers acknowledged that China’s behavior, where inconsistent with the existing international order, presents political, economic, military, and technological challenges to the Alliance and to the international community.
They also committed to opposing coercion and destabilizing behavior toward others in the region that undermines the rules-based international system.
The ministers instructed their departments to proceed with specific work to strengthen the alliance based on the "2+2" discussions and joint statement, and called for another U.S.-Japan SCC later in the year.
