Japan-U.S. Defense Ministerial Meeting (Summary)

(Press Release)

November 17, 2024
Ministry of Defense

In Japanese

On November 17, Defense Minister Nakatani and Defense Secretary Austin held discussions from 17:05 (local time) for approximately 30 minutes in Darwin. The summary is as follows.

The Ministers affirmed that they will work together to further reinforce the Alliance capabilities to deter and respond in every field, including the upgrading of respective command and control frameworks, expansion of bilateral presence in the southwestern region of Japan, space cooperation, and defense equipment and technology cooperation.

The Ministers welcomed the establishment of U.S. Space Forces - Japan in December 2024 and affirmed to further advance bilateral cooperation in space domain, including a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation in response to hypersonic glide vehicles (HGV), etc.

The Ministers welcomed the progress of the Forum on Defense Industrial Cooperation, Acquisition and Sustainment (DICAS) and reiterated its importance. The Ministers also reconfirmed that they will promote mutually beneficial defense industrial cooperation that contributes to reinforcing the Alliance capabilities to deter and respond.

The Ministers confirmed that they will continue to further advance multilateral cooperation, including with regional partners namely Australia with whom Trilateral Defense Ministerial Meeting was convened, to realize the vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.

The Ministers reconfirmed that they will steadily implement the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan in accordance with the Okinawa Consolidation Plan, including the construction of the Futenma Replacement Facility at Henoko toward the total return of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Futenma as early as practicable. The Ministers also affirmed that they will continue to work closely for relocation of Marine Corps personnel from Okinawa to Guam beginning in 2024.

Japan-U.S. Defense Ministerial Meeting (Summary)(PDF)