Japan, US agree to deepen security and economic cooperation

ISTANBUL

The top diplomats of Japan and the US agreed Saturday to advance concrete security cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening economic security initiatives, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held what the ministry described as a “candid exchange of views” on diplomacy, security and the economy on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

The two “concurred on advancing concrete security cooperation to further strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-US alliance,” the ministry said in a statement.

They also reaffirmed their commitment to advancing initiatives in economic security, including critical minerals and rare earths, while implementing the agreement on tariffs between the two countries, according to the statement.

Motegi and Rubio discussed a range of regional issues, including matters related to China and their policies toward North Korea, particularly its nuclear and missile programs.

Japan, one of Washington’s oldest allies in the Asia-Pacific region, hosts more than 50,000 US troops, along with numerous military bases and weapons systems.