Defense officials from Japan and the United States have held their first meeting on joint development and production of defense equipment.
They met in Tokyo on Sunday and Monday. Attendees included Fukasawa Masaki, the Commissioner of the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency of Japan’s Defense Ministry, and his US counterpart William LaPlante, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.
The meeting comes after Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and US President Joe Biden agreed in April to establish a forum on the matter.
The officials confirmed they will cooperate to strengthen defense industries in their countries through technology transfer and other means.
They agreed to set up four working groups to discuss joint production of equipment, including PAC-3 interceptor missile systems. The groups will also consider ways to do maintenance work on US military vessels and fighter planes in Japan.
More than 10 Japanese and US firms joined Monday’s session. The participants confirmed the government and private sectors will hold meetings.