Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with Japanese Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo in Washington, D.C., to discuss regional security issues, bilateral efforts to further strengthen the U.S.-Japan Alliance, and measures to expand cooperation with like-minded partners.
Secretary Austin thanked Minister Kishi for his participation in the Ukraine Security Consultative Group and welcomed Japan's continued leadership role in countering Russia's illegal aggression against Ukraine. Secretary Austin and Minister Kishi further conferred on China's ongoing coercion in the East and South China Seas and the need to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific that secures peace and prosperity for all.
The Secretary and Minister affirmed the need to continue close collaboration with allies and partners to bolster integrated deterrence and promote the norms, values, and institutions that underpin the rules-based international order.
