US, Japan to Hold Security Talks on Nuclear Deterrence

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa speak prior to a group photo session during their G7 foreign ministers' meetings in Tokyo on Nov. 8, 2023. Eugene Hoshiko/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The United States and Japan will hold their first ministerial meeting on “extended deterrence” in Tokyo next week amid growing security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, according to the State Department.

U.S. and Japanese foreign and defense chiefs “will discuss bilateral cooperation to further strengthen U.S. extended deterrence bolstered by Japan’s defense capabilities” at their 2+2 meeting on July 28, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink said during a briefing.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will also meet with his Japanese counterpart, Yoko Kamikawa, during the visit, while U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will hold three-way talks with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea.

The term “extended deterrence” refers to the U.S. commitment to use its nuclear capabilities to deter and defend allies and partners.

While the issue has been previously discussed at lower levels, the upcoming talks will elevate a subject that’s particularly sensitive for Tokyo. Japan, the only country to have suffered atomic bombings during war, has long advocated for the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons.

“In the face of growing unprecedented threats in the region, the United States and Japan are going to demonstrate in a responsible way how we will stand up and ensure not just the defense of Japan but also our contribution to regional security,” Mr. Kritenbrink said.

“It’s important in the face of those threats to reiterate what we’ve said many times, that our security treaty commitments to our Japanese allies are ironclad and we’re committed to using all means at America’s disposal, including nuclear, to make sure that we meet those commitments.”

In April, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced a historic upgrade of the U.S.–Japanese alliance during a summit in Washington to strengthen defense and security ties between the two countries.

The leaders agreed to enhance ties in multiple areas besides defense and security, including economic security, space, and global diplomacy, with the objective to counter China.

At the summit, Washington and Tokyo reaffirmed the significance of enhancing U.S. extended deterrence and called for an in-depth talk at the ministerial level.

The meeting next week will also discuss security challenges facing the two countries and strengthen security and defense cooperation based on the outcome of the April summit in Washington.

The U.S.–Japan security talks also will include efforts to deepen cooperation between defense industries and upgrade command structures to improve coordination between their militaries.

“These historic 2+2 talks will cement our shift from a focus on Alliance protection to one of Alliance projection,” U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said.

“Through a transformation of the command structure of the United States forces in Japan, aligned with Japan’s own groundbreaking launch of its joint command next March, the Alliance will be ready and equipped to respond to the security challenges of the Indo-Pacific for decades to come.”

The upcoming U.S.–Japan meeting follows growing geopolitical tensions amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Chinese communist regime’s move to expand its nuclear arsenal.

According to an annual arms report published in June by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, between January 2023 and January 2024, China boosted its nuclear stockpile to 500 warheads from 410.

The report highlights that the Chinese regime is rapidly expanding and modernizing its nuclear arsenal, potentially surpassing the United States or Russia in the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles within the next decade.

In addition, the Pentagon projected that the Chinese communist regime might have more than 1,000 operational nuclear warheads by 2030, with further growth expected through 2035.

On July 17, Beijing halted nascent nuclear arms-control talks with Washington in a protest of recent U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan, which Beijing considers its territory. The U.S. State Department said the Chinese regime’s move to suspend arms-control discussions with the United States was “unfortunate,” as it undermines strategic stability and increases the risk of an arms race.

Reuters contributed to this report.