Japan and the United States have held their first working-level meeting aimed at having US military vessels repaired in Japan.
This follows an agreement reached at the Japan-US summit in April. The countries agreed to create a framework for Japanese companies to conduct extensive repairs on US Navy warships.
The attendees at Tuesday’s meeting included the Commissioner of the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency of Japan’s Defense Ministry, Fukasawa Masaki, US defense department officials and the US Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel.
Fukasawa said he believes that having more opportunities to conduct maintenance on US Navy vessels at Japanese shipyards will fortify the deterrence of the Japan-US alliance. He confirmed that working-level meetings will be held regularly to discuss specific systems and cooperation.
At the start of the meeting, Emanuel expressed his admiration for Japan’s production capabilities and its ability to implement plans according to budget. He noted the need to apply such skills to collective deterrence.
After the meeting, Emanuel told reporters that ship repairs and the maintenance of vessels are important factors for deterrence. He said, “Japan and their shipyards can play an essential role in our strategic projection of deterrence” in an area where the Navy plays an essential role.
Emanuel also emphasized that the ships would not have to return to the US mainland for repairs. He said it is essential to maintain deterrence in times of peace and during emergencies.