As ministers meet in Tokyo, Japan and the United States will discuss China’s concerns.

 

As the Biden administration seeks to reaffirm engagement with its main regional allies, defense and foreign ministers from the United States and Japan will discuss their concerns about China’s increasing presence in the Indo-Pacific region.

On Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with their Japanese counterparts, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, for so-called “two plus two” security talks. Late Monday, US ministers arrived in Tokyo.

President Joe Biden’s decision to send his main ministers to Japan as their first overseas visit, rather than hosting Japanese officials in Washington, is significant for Japan, which views its partnership with the United States as “the core” of its diplomatic and security policies.

In a parliamentary session on Monday, Motegi said that this demonstrates “the US focus on the Japan-US alliance.” He said that China will be the most discussed subject with Blinken, including how they can strengthen their deterrence and response capability in response to China.

Japan is in a delicate diplomatic situation because, like other countries in the region, its economy is heavily reliant on China.

However, it sees China’s increasing maritime involvement in the region as a security risk. In the South China Sea, Beijing has constructed militarized manmade islands and is claiming nearly all of the sea’s main fisheries and waterways. China’s claim to the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, known in China as Diaoyu, is causing Japan concern, as is its increased activity in the disputed region.

China has denied any expansionist intentions, claiming that it is only protecting its territorial rights.

Blinken and Austin are expected to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, as well as North Korea’s nuclear threat and Myanmar’s post-military coup situation, on the Biden administration’s first Cabinet-level trip abroad.

Japanese officials said that Japan and the United States are expected to reaffirm the importance of their three-way alliance with South Korea, and that they could bring up the strained ties between Tokyo and Seoul over wartime compensation issues.

They’ll meet with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga later Tuesday. Suga is scheduled to visit Washington in the first half of April to meet with Biden in person, making him the first foreign leader to do so since he took office in January.

Biden held a first virtual summit of the leaders of Australia, Japan, India, and the United States, known as the “Quad,” on Friday, in a move intended to signal his intention for the United States to return to more involvement in the Asia-Pacific region.

On Wednesday, Blinken and Austin will travel to South Korea, another important regional ally.

On their way back to Washington, Blinken will meet with senior Chinese officials in Anchorage, Alaska. Austin will travel from Seoul to New Delhi to meet with Indian officials.