With $3.6 billion… America agrees to an arms deal with Japan

Washington announced on Friday its approval of an arms deal to its ally worth $3.6 billion.
The deal includes up to 1,200 advanced air-to-air missiles and military equipment related to these missiles.

Military deals between America and Japan

China’s strengthening of its presence around disputed areas in the Pacific Ocean has raised fears in Japan in recent years, prompting Tokyo to strengthen its security relations with other countries.
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement that the proposed deal “will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States.”
This is by improving the security of a key ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region.”

Security cooperation between America and Japan

She added that it would also improve “Japan’s ability to confront current and future threats by defending its territory and the American soldiers stationed there.”
She pointed out that “Japan will not find difficulty in absorbing this equipment and services into its armed forces.”
The US State Department gave its approval to the deal, which still needs to be approved by Congress.

Japan’s National Security Strategy

The two countries have strong relations. In previous times, the two sides discussed Japan’s new national security strategy and the national defense strategy, in addition to discussing a number of regional and global issues.

US President Joe Biden received then Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for the first time in the White House, amid a celebration of Tokyo’s historic plans to strengthen military capabilities to confront common concerns about China.

The United States and Japan also previously announced initiatives aimed at strengthening their security cooperation in the face of “threats” from China and North Korea.

Escalating tensions in the two oceans region

It came amid escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said at the time in a joint press conference in Washington: “Today we welcomed a historic coalition decision to improve the status of American forces in Japan.”

Austin explained that the planned actions “will strengthen deterrence in the region and allow us to defend Japan and its people more effectively.”
The presence of American forces on the Japanese island of Okinawa was modified. And discuss other plans in this context.