Prime Minister Kishida plans to aim to improve the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance at a summit meeting with President Biden in the United States next week. At the meeting, discussions are expected to take place regarding the nature of command and control in order to more smoothly coordinate forces between the Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. Forces in Japan.
Prime Minister Kishida will visit the United States as a state guest next week, and will hold a Japan-U.S. summit meeting with President Biden on the 10th.
As the security environment becomes increasingly severe, Prime Minister Kishida intends to use his summit to improve the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance.
With the establishment of a permanent "Joint Headquarters" that will centrally command the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces by March next year, there are proposals within the U.S. government to strengthen the authority of the U.S. Forces Japan Command. .
In light of this situation, it is expected that discussions will be held regarding the form of command and control in order to facilitate smoother coordination of forces between the two countries.
Prime Minister Kishida stated, ``Strengthening cooperation between Japan and the United States from the perspective of command and control is an extremely important issue in order to increase interoperability and readiness.''
The talks also focused on economic security cooperation, including research and development of cutting-edge technologies such as semiconductors, AI, and quantum technology, and strengthening supply chains, as well as cooperation in the space field, including the U.S.-led lunar exploration program Artemis. Opinions were also exchanged regarding collaboration, and the results are scheduled to be announced in the form of a joint statement.