U.S., Japan Defense Chiefs Agree to Strengthen Alliance in Call
- Two nations confirm security treaty applies to disputed isles
- U.S. Defense Secretary expressed willingness to visit Japan
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Newly appointed U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Japanese counterpart Nobuo Kishi agreed to strengthen the alliance between their two countries in a phone call early Sunday Tokyo time, Japan’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.
In the first call between the two since Austin’s confirmation on Friday, they agreed that Article 5 of the U.S.-Japan security treaty, which obliges the U.S. to respond to an attack on Japanese-administered territory, applies to East China Sea islands controlled by Japan but claimed by China.