FOREIGN MINISTER KAMIKAWA: (Via interpreter) Secretary Blinken, Secretary Austin, I am sincerely delighted to welcome you to Tokyo. I am delighted that we are able to hold Japan-U.S. 2+2 meeting. The official visit by Prime Minister Kishida to the United States in April was an historic visit, elevating Japan-U.S. alliance to an unprecedented level. The 2+2 meeting this time is an invaluable opportunity to further boosting Japan-U.S. alliance by linking the outcome of prime minister visit to the United States to concrete actions.
We are at an historic turning point. Developments that shake the very foundation of free and open international order based on rule of law are continuing. Thus, decision taken by us today will determine our future. We are at a critical juncture. In order to thoroughly defend the existing international order, we need to continuously strengthen our alliance and enhance the deterrence - the power. Japan and U.S. need to strengthen further cooperation with likeminded countries who share the strategic objective. I am fully committed to such endeavors. I am looking forward to have discussion with both gentlemen.
So, Secretary Blinken, please.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, Yoko, thank you very, very much, and to you, to Minister Kihara, Secretary of Defense and I are so pleased to be here with all of our colleagues, here to reaffirm our unwavering support for the alliance between Japan and the United States, the cornerstone of peace, security, stability in the Indo-Pacific and really critical to tackling global challenges. We were saying earlier as we were meeting that I don't think there's been a time - at least in my experience - when the alliance between our countries has been stronger. Indeed, I think it's the strongest it's ever been, and it's reflected in the fact that we're working together not only on bilateral issues, not only on regional issues, but on global issues.
This is an opportunity with the 2+2 to assess progress in fulfilling the commitments that our leaders made during Prime Minister Kishida's visit in April. I think it's fair to say that we are confronted by in some ways unprecedented challenges, but we also have an alliance that is more than ready to tackle them. So this global partnership is one that works diplomatically, it works militarily, it works economically, and we're very pleased to have this opportunity with all of our colleagues in this particular format to continue to deepen and strengthen the work we're doing together. Thank you.
FOREIGN MINISTER KAMIKAWA: (Via interpreter) Thank you very much. Minister Kihara, please.
DEFENSE MINISTER KIHARA: (Via interpreter) Secretary Austin, Secretary Blinken, I am delighted to be able to welcome you here in Tokyo and to have an in-person meeting with you. At the Japan-U.S. summit meeting in April, we recognized that the Japan-U.S. alliance has reached unprecedented heights and affirmed that the alliance remains the cornerstone of peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. However, the security environment that surrounds us has been increasingly severe. As the defense minister, I strongly recognize that we need to strengthen collaboration between Japan and the U.S. as well as with other partner countries in order to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.
In accordance with our respective national security strategies and national defense strategies which were formulated at the end of 2022, both Japan and the U.S. have been implementing initiatives to improve our deterrence. Japan has steadily advanced initiatives to fundamentally strengthen our defense capabilities, including establishing JJOC and strengthening standard defense capability on top of that. Since the 2+2 meeting in January 2023 with the U.S., we have made a series of efforts to evolve the alliance's roles and missions based on Japan's fundamentally strengthened defense capabilities.
Today I look forward to our discussion on various initiatives to strengthen our alliance based on the outcomes of the summit meeting in April, such as the modernization of the alliance, including the upgrading of our respective command and control frameworks; defense equipment and technology cooperation, including defense industry cooperation between Japan and the U.S.; promotion of multilateral defense cooperation with countries such as Australia and Republic of Korea.
FOREIGN MINISTER KAMIKAWA: (Via interpreter) Thank you, Mr. Kihara. Secretary Austin, please.
SECRETARY AUSTIN: Minister Kihara, Minister Kamikawa, thanks for the warm welcome and thanks for hosting us for this historic 2+2 dialogue. Our countries have made outstanding progress toward our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and our shared belief in a rules-based international order.
Those shared principles are helping us tackle common challenges. We continue to see the PRC engaging in coercive behavior and trying to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas, around Taiwan, and throughout the region. We're also alarmed by North Korea's nuclear program, its reckless rhetoric, and its deepening cooperation with Russia, all of which threaten regional and global security.
But we are meeting this moment by working together more closely than ever. Today we will discuss historic efforts to modernize U.S. and Japanese command and control, as the President and prime minister tasked us during their summit in April. These changes reflect extraordinary progress in developing our alliance's roles, missions, and capabilities. That will include upgrading U.S. Forces Japan and will be one of the most significant developments in the history of our alliance.
I'm also proud of our work together to support Japan's counterstrike capability. We'll bolster defense industrial cooperation, including missile coproduction, and we'll increase our bilateral presence in the southwest islands. These efforts will improve our ability to deter and manage coercive and destabilizing behavior. We're also strengthening our defense cooperation with other allies and partners in the region, including Australia, India, the Republic of Korea, and the Philippines.
And later today we'll discuss how we can deepen our cooperation on extended deterrence. Our commitment to Japan's defense is unwavering, and that includes extended deterrence by providing the full range of our conventional and nuclear capabilities. This commitment is at the heart of the U.S.-Japan alliance, and our alliance has never been stronger.
Ministers, thanks again for hosting us, and I look forward to a great discussion.
