Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamikawa, Minister of Defense Kihara, Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Austin (referred to collectively as "the Ministers") convened a U.S.-Japan ministerial meeting on extended deterrence in Tokyo, on July 28, 2024.
Since 2010, U.S. and Japanese officials have coordinated on extended deterrence policy primarily through the U.S.-Japan Extended Deterrence Dialogue (EDD). The Ministers highlighted the steady progress in strengthening this coordination and deepening discussions on extended deterrence, including through periodic review of the EDD's activities and by leveraging the Alliance Coordination Mechanism.
The Ministers shared assessments of an increasingly deteriorating regional security environment, including North Korea's continued destabilizing behavior and sustained pursuit of its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs, China's accelerating and opaque expansion of its nuclear arsenal, and Russia's undermining of arms control and the global nonproliferation regime, including through its expanding military cooperation and unlawful arms transfers with North Korea. Under these circumstances, the United States and Japan reiterated the need to reinforce the Alliance's deterrence posture, and manage existing and emerging strategic threats through deterrence, arms control, risk reduction, and nonproliferation.
The Ministers reaffirmed both countries' commitment to close consultations on U.S. nuclear policy and posture, as well as the relationship between nuclear and non-nuclear military matters within the Alliance. They reaffirmed their intent to continue discussions on both countries' deterrence capabilities and measures. The Ministers also reaffirmed their intent to ensure full bilateral coordination through the Alliance Coordination Mechanism throughout every phase of a developing situation.
The Ministers underscored the significance of the ministerial meeting in strengthening deterrence, and confirmed that both countries, through the EDD, will continue to explore how best to reinforce extended deterrence in order to promote regional stability and deter the outbreak of conflict.