The United States and Japan held bilateral security discussions on October 7, 2020. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Japan and Korea Marc Knapper, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Security Heino Klinck, Deputy Director General for North American Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yutaka Arima, and Deputy Director General for Defense Policy, Ministry of Defense, Taro Yamato met by way of a video teleconference.
Both sides exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific security environment, including the influence of COVID-19, as well as regional issues, and bilateral defense cooperation. Both sides confirmed continued close coordination to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific, enhance response and deterrence capability, and strengthen the Japan-US (U.S.-Japan) Alliance, which is stronger than ever.