NAPLES, Italy - New Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin agreed Saturday to further enhance the deterrence and response capabilities of the bilateral alliance, Japan's government said, amid security challenges posed by China and North Korea.
During their first face-to-face talks since Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba took office on Oct. 1, held in Naples in southern Italy, Nakatani told Austin that Japan is committed to significantly strengthening its defense capabilities, the Defense Ministry said.
The two shared a "strong sense of crisis" with recent moves occurring around Japan in mind, the ministry said, in a veiled reference to China's growing military assertiveness, including the first-ever intrusion by a Chinese military plane into Japanese airspace in August.
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