Washington and Tokyo deepen defense cooperation

Photo: Rahm Emanuel and Minoru Kihara

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel held talks with Japanese officials on defense industrial cooperation between the two countries, covering aircraft and ship repairs, missile production and ensuring the resilience of military supply chains, Reuters reports.

The United States needs Japan's help to address strategic challenges in Europe and Asia, Emanuel said during talks on Monday, June 10.

The ambassador said the U.S. national security strategy includes maintaining combat readiness amid wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as ensuring deterrence in the East Asia.

The U.S. and Japan began their first talks on deepening defense cooperation on Sunday as part of the U.S.-Japan Defense Industrial Cooperation, Acquisition, and Sustainment (DICAS) forum, established in April by President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

On Tuesday, June 11, Deputy Defense Secretary for Acquisition William LaPlante and Masaki Fukasawa, head of Japan's Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Agency, will discuss repairing naval vessels in Japan, which could help free up U.S. shipyards to build new warships.

He explained that potential U.S.-Japan cooperation includes aircraft repair, missile production, and ensuring the resilience of the military supply chain.

The U.S. and Japan are currently working on a missile defense interceptor.

Prepared by: Sergey Daga