On May 26, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III held a secure call with Japan Minister of Defense Kishi Nobuo to share assessments on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) recent ballistic missile launches, as well as consult on response measures. Secretary Austin confirmed the unshakeable U.S. commitment to the defense of Japan, and both the Minister and Secretary reaffirmed that the U.S.-Japan Alliance is prepared to respond to any DPRK aggression.
The two leaders underscored that the DPRK’s ballistic missile launches are a threat to regional and global security, and committed to work together bilaterally and trilaterally with the Republic of Korea to address the DPRK’s provocative actions. Secretary Austin and Minister Kishi concurred on the need to continue discussions on response options and work toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.