Japan, US defense chiefs pledge cooperation

Japanese and US defense chiefs have agreed to work closely on issues such as the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea and missile launches in the DPRK.Japan’s Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta spoke on the phone on Tuesday for the first time.

Onodera said he hopes to work closely with the US to strengthen the role of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces. He expressed hopes that both countries would pay careful attention to the proposed relocation of the US Futenma Air Station within Okinawa.


Panetta said that the US-Japan Alliance remains important in the Asia-Pacific region. He said he hoped to work with Onodera to further enhance cooperation between the two countries.
.cntv.cn
9/1/13
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