US, Japanese military chiefs discuss security, bilateral relations

ISTANBUL

Japanese Chief of Joint Staff Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida met his US counterpart Gen. Mark Milley Friday in Tokyo to discuss security and bilateral relations.

Milley is on a trip to Japan, which hosts around 50,000 US troops under a bilateral security pact.

The US chief of joint staff was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun by Japan's Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada, Japan’s Joint Staff said in a statement.

Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun is the most prestigious award Japan gives to foreigners for forging better bilateral relations.

Admiral Milley has "greatly contributed to the promotion and strengthening of Japan-US and multilateral security cooperation," Japan’s Defense Ministry said on Twitter.