On March 5, at a press conference with Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi held by The Japanese Ministry of Defense, a reporter asked: Is it true that there are reports that the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Austin to Japan in the middle of this month is being studied?
Nobuo Kishi replied: I am aware of the reports, about the U.S. Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State to visit Japan, nothing has been decided yet, but in any case, as the Ministry of Defense, continue to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance, and in the maintenance of the “free and open Indian Ocean Pacific, and other aspects, will continue to work closely with the United States.”
And a number of Japanese government sources revealed on the 4th, the Japanese and U.S. governments have been on the U.S. Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Austin to visit Japan in the middle of this month to coordinate matters. The Japanese and U.S. governments are planning to hold a meeting of the Consultative Committee on Security (2+2) attended by foreign and defense cabinet members, with the 15th to 17th as the central consultation schedule.
When asked by a reporter: I heard that yesterday, the diplomatic and defense authorities of the Japanese and U.S. governments held consultations at the level of reviewers, and that they are deeply concerned about China’s Maritime Police Act. And you have been talking about the need to take your concerns about the Maritime Police Act to the international community, what are your thoughts on the same concerns of Japan and the U.S.?
Nobuo Kishi noted: At the deliberator-level discussions between the U.S. and Japanese defense and foreign affairs departments held yesterday, we exchanged views on the regional security environment, regional affairs, and bilateral defense cooperation. In particular, on the East and South China Seas, we strongly opposed attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force, and also exchanged views and expressed serious concerns about the Maritime Police Act. We agreed that we will continue to work closely together to maintain and strengthen the “free and open Indo-Pacific” and enhance the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance, and further strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance.
Japan and the United States held a videoconference on the 4th with senior officials of the diplomatic and defense departments at the reviewer level to make clear their strong opposition to attempts to unilaterally change the status quo in the East and South China Seas by force and coercion, reportedly in preparation for the Consultative Committee on Security (2+2) meeting attended by diplomatic and defense cabinet members.
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