Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he would seek to build a multilayered defense network with other countries while bolstering military cooperation with the United States as he seeks to strengthen Japan’s deterrence in a challenging security environment.
Speaking to a group of reporters at the Prime Minister's Office on Friday, Kishida also reiterated his commitment to achieving a lasting peace in Ukraine. The comments come ahead of his trip to Washington for a summit with President Joe Biden and a three-way leaders’ meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. this week.
"Pushing ahead on cooperation with like-minded countries on security, including defense equipment and technology, will lead to the establishment of a multilayered network, and by expanding that we can improve deterrence,” he said.
The prime minister is set to meet Biden one-on-one on Wednesday before the two hold the first ever three-way summit with the Philippine leader. Kishida and Marcos have each enhanced their bilateral military cooperation with their mutual ally as they confront separate territorial disputes with China, while Japan has transferred equipment such as radar units to the Philippines.
The three will agree on joint naval patrols in the South China Sea later this year, Politico reported last month, a move that could provoke a strong reaction from China. They are also set to reach agreements on economic security issues like supply chains for nickel, the Nikkei newspaper reported last week.
The U.S. is seeking to develop a lattice-like structure whereby its allies cooperate among themselves as well as with Washington to counter China’s growing might. The trilateral summit with the Philippines follows on from a similar unprecedented meeting involving Japan and South Korea last year.
Kishida said he would seek to strengthen partnerships with Australia and the U.K., but said nothing was decided on cooperation with the AUKUS group, of which both nations are members.
In one of the latest signs of change in Japan’s defense stance, the government signed a treaty with the U.K. and Italy last year to develop a next-generation fighter plane in a project known as the Global Combat Air Program.
Japan is considering strengthening its military cooperation with the U.S., within the bounds of its Constitution and international law, Kishida added, emphasizing that the two countries would retain their independent command structures.
The roundtable came days after Kishida spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone and assured him of Japan’s unshakable support. Republican hard-liners in the U.S. are opposing additional aid for Ukraine and NATO allies are cautious over a $100 billion assistance plan.
"It is true that there have been various movements and opinions amid the prolonged aggression, but Japan’s stance will not waver,” Kishida said. "During my visit to the U.S., I would like to make sure that President Biden and I are in agreement on the importance of continuing our efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”
Japan has provided nonlethal military aid to Ukraine, such as vehicles, while also agreeing to sell missiles to the U.S., in a step that could potentially increase the pool of weapons available for Washington to supply to Kyiv.
The U.S. trip may provide much-needed help at the polls for Kishida, as he attempts to restore his fragile public support after a party slush fund scandal that forced him to discipline 39 lawmakers, including several former Cabinet ministers.
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