China News Service, November 20. According to Kyodo News Agency of Japan, on the 19th, the Japanese government held a meeting of the four ministers of the National Security Council (NSC) at the Prime Minister's residence.
This is the first time that the Yoshihide Suga government convened this meeting since its establishment in September.
According to reports, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and others attended the meeting.
At the meeting, analysis and discussion were made on the possible impact of foreign trends on Japan's security environment and how to deal with the next US government.
Data map: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
In addition, the attendees should have exchanged views on how to deal with the burden of US troops stationed in Japan after 2021, which started formal negotiations in November.
New missile defense policies, such as an alternative to the land-based Aegis system, which has been abandoned, will be discussed at the next meeting.
The report pointed out that the meeting of the four ministers is positioned by Japan as the core of the NSC as the "command tower" of diplomatic and security policy.
During the former Abe administration, there were an average of more than two meetings per month, but the Yoshihide Suga government had not held meetings before.