The U.S. and Japan have agreed to broaden their alliance in the face of growing military threats from North Korea and China, according to a New York Times article.
Jennifer Steinhauer and Martin Fackler write that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Secretary of State John Kerry signed an agreement with their Japanese counterparts to strengthen Japanese missile defense radars, deploy U.S. drones and jointly combat cyber threats.
The key issue throughout the talks for the two allies was how to respond to China, considering the rising power has sent ships to challenge Japan’s control of an uninhabited group of islands in the East China Sea.
âOur bilateral defense cooperation, including Americaâs commitment to the security of Japan, is a critical component of our overall relationship,â said Hagel.
As part of the agreement, 9,000 U.S. Marines will be moved from bases in Okinawa to locations outside of Japan, including 5,000 personnel being relocated to Guam.
Japan is also planning to create a National Security Council, modeled after the American version.
The U.S. will also place a new X-band radar system in Kyogamisaki which is near the Japanese city of Kyoto, according to the article.