Japan appears fully aligned with the U.S. containment strategy. On Feb. 18, the same day as the bomber exercises near China, U.S. and Japanese officials met in Washington for an Extended Deterrence Dialogue involving the State Department, the Pentagon, and Japan’s Defense Ministry.
“The EDD advanced President Trump and Prime Minister Takaichi’s shared determination to further enhance the Alliance’s deterrence and response capabilities,” reported the State Department press release.
The U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to defend Japan using its full range of military assets, including nuclear forces, while Japan pledged continued support for U.S. regional military operations. Japan is also increasing its conventional military spending to reinforce this posture.
