The joint statement released, following the meetings of the US and Japanese defense and foreign ministers yesterday, includes a commitment by the US to defend Japan with nuclear weapons if necessary. “The United States restated its unwavering commitment to the defense of Japan under Article V of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, using its full range of capabilities, including nuclear,” the statement said. “The Ministers held an in-depth discussion on U.S. extended deterrence for Japan, as well as on the recently-released U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, and reaffirmed the critical importance of ensuring U.S. extended deterrence remains credible and resilient, bolstered by Japan’s capabilities.”
Another point stressed in the document is the “unprecedented alignment of their vision, priorities, and goals” expressed in the two governments’ national security and national defense strategies. “This forms a solid foundation for their efforts to constantly modernize the Alliance in order to address the increasingly severe security environment,” it says.
Naturally, it included the usual nonsense about US-Japan commitment to “a free and open Indo-Pacific region” and hailed “the U.S.-Japan Alliance as the cornerstone of regional peace, security, and prosperity.”
