Japan moved ahead with an expansion of support to US troops as the allies held top-level talks on tensions with China and North Korea.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the two nations were signing a five-year extension of the support package provided by Japan for the hosting of around 50,000 US troops on its soil.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, appearing from isolation after a mild case of Covid-19, said the allies were "evolving our roles and missions to reflect Japan's growing ability to contribute to regional peace and stability." According to the foreign ministry, the new five-year package will amount to 211 billion yen per fiscal year, an increase of about five percent.
He also described North Korea's missile programs as an "ongoing threat" after Pyongyang fired a suspected ballistic missile into the sea.A joint statement issued after the talks took aim at "efforts by China to undermine the rules-based order," with specific reference to activity in the East and South China Seas.
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