WASHINGTON / TOKYO, Jan. 7 (Reuters) – The United States and Japan to sign research and development agreement to facilitate their collaboration in tackling emerging defense threats, including hypersonic missiles and capabilities military space, the US foreign minister said Thursday.
Antony Blinken made the announcement to open a virtual meeting between the US and Japanese Foreign and Defense Ministers.
This videoconference was to be used to discuss ways to strengthen the security ties between the two countries, mainly the role that Japan can play in a climate of growing tensions in the region over Taiwan and due to advances in Korea’s ballistics program. North.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the meeting would help shape the contours of the future security alliance, including evolving missions to “reflect Japan’s growing ability to contribute to peace and regional stability “.
Noting growing threats from Russia, China and North Korea, Antony Blinken said it was “more vital than ever” to continue to strengthen and modernize the long-standing alliance between Washington and Tokyo.
“We are launching a new research and development agreement that will make it easier for our scientists and engineers to collaborate on emerging defense issues,” said the US secretary of state.
(Report David Brunnstrom, Dan Whitcomb, Rami Ayyub and Ju-min Park; French version Jean Terzian)
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