Washington DC, 8 January 2022 (TDI): The 2022 US-Japan 2+2 consultative committee meeting took place on two consecutive days, the 6 and 7 of this month.
United States Secretary of States Antony J Blinken, Japan Foreign Minister Hayashi, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, and Japan Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo attended the virtual meeting.
The meeting aimed to strengthen the alliance and address the critical challenges of the 21st century. The participants discussed many topics pertaining to mutual interest.
Both parties strongly reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Both recognized that the US-Japan alliance is critical for peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis were also subjects deliberated upon.
Japan reiterated its defense capabilities to bolster its national defense and contribute to regional peace and stability. Both parties welcomed the consensus on the new Host Nation Support arrangement, the improvement of Japan’s facilities program (FIP) with 164.1 billion yen, and the launching of a new training capability category that will enable their bilateral cooperation.
Moreover, the US and Japan exchanged views on cooperative Research, Development, Production, Sustainment, and testing of new technologies. During the virtual session, the participants also talked about specific countries in the region.
For instance, they talked about the situation in Myanmar, the China sea, cooperation of the US and the Republic of Korea by the intermediary of Japan, and more.
What is the 2+2 Consultative committee?
The 2+2 Consultative committee between the United States and Japan is one of the many ways both countries interact with each other. For instance, Japan and the US have their respective representatives in their respective countries, the US and Japan cooperate in the multilateral arena, economic, science, and technology together.
This framework falls into economic cooperation, science, and technology. Finally, it is a framework that helps the ongoing evolution of the US-Japan relationship that is important for the Indo-pacific region and the entire world.
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