US, Japan discuss growing threat from North Korea

WASHINGTON, Aug 17 (KUNA) -- The military and foreign ministers of the US and Japan met on Thursday to discuss the growing threat from North Korea and strengthening their alliance with respect to other issues in the Asian-Pacific region.
"We agreed to bolster our alliance capabilities to deter and respond to North Korea's unacceptable behavior and other challenges to regional security," said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a press conference after the meeting.
The leaders then discussed the security environment in the East and South China Sea and noted opposition to "unilateral action that seeks to undermine Japan's administration of the Senkaku Islands," "militarization activity in the South China Sea," along with reaffirming reaffirmed Article 5 of the US-Japan Security Treaty Tillerson said.
The leaders also explored, "new and expanded activities in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, training and exercises, research and development, capacity building, and joint or shared use of facilities," said the State Secretary.
For his part, Foreign Minister Taro Kono said, "On North Korea, towards its denuclearization, we agreed we would ramp up effective pressure. We will call on China to take specific measures to make North Korea change its behavior." He added that, "on the threat of ballistic missiles, as an alliance, we will strengthen our defense posture and capabilities, and respond." For the coastal nations of the Indo-Pacific region, the countries will provide around USD 500 million in marine security assistance over the next three years, he added.
Both US Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Japanese Defense Ministier Itsunori Onodera echoed their colleagues' statements at the end of the briefing. (end) ak.ibi