U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken continues his marathon Asian tour in Japan on Sunday, aiming to strengthen the country's alliances and partnerships in countering China. On Saturday, Blinken had "frank and productive" discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Washington accuses Beijing of provocative actions, especially regarding Taiwan and the South China Sea, while China claims the United States seeks to encircle it.
Blinken arrived in Tokyo early Sunday from Hanoi and will be joined by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to participate together in "2 + 2" talks with their Japanese counterparts, Yoko Kamikawa and Minoru Kihara. On Monday, they will be joined by their counterparts in the "Quad," Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. According to the Washington Post, the first concrete step will be Austin's announcement on Sunday about establishing a joint U.S.-Japanese military command. Approximately 54,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Japan under the command of the Pacific Command based in Hawaii.
The discussions on Sunday are expected to center on "extended deterrence," which is a type of security umbrella provided by Washington to protect Japan. In recent years, Japan has gradually abandoned its strict pacifist policy imposed on itself since World War II, increasing its military spending as it strives to equip itself with "counter-strike" capabilities.
In July, Japan and the Philippines—where Blinken and Austin's next stop will be, and where they will meet their Philippine counterparts on Tuesday in another round of "2 + 2" meetings—signed a defense agreement allowing the deployment of troops from both countries on each other's territory. South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik will be in Tokyo on Sunday and Monday for his first visit of this kind in 15 years.
