To strengthen ties, US, Japan look to ink crucial defence pacts soon

To strengthen defence ties, the United States and Japan look to sign two pacts soon.

The two nations, who are looking to deepen defence cooperation, will ink a new five-year agreement soon to share the cost of the American military presence in the country, said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.  

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The leader was speaking at the outset of a virtual conference, which was held between the US and Japanese foreign and defence ministers on Thursday.  

The two nations will also sign a deal to collaborate closely in research and development of defence-related technologies, which may include ways to counter threats from hypersonic weapons, said Blinken.   

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, who joined virtually from home as he is recovering from a COVID-19 infection, said the US-Japan alliance is highly important.  

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"We're meeting against a backdrop of increased tensions and challenges to the free, stable and secure Indo-Pacific region that we both seek challenges posed by North Korea's nuclear ambitions and by the coercive and aggressive behaviour of the People's Republic of China," Austin said.  

"We remain grateful for the support that Japan continues to provide US forces deployed there and for an extraordinary level of mutual cooperation across the full spectrum of military capabilities," he added.  

(With inputs from agencies)