{"id":54313,"date":"2021-03-16T21:38:14","date_gmt":"2021-03-16T21:38:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/03\/16\/japan-us-officials-share-their-challenges-with-china-in-tokyo-talks\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T08:01:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:01:56","slug":"japan-us-officials-share-their-challenges-with-china-in-tokyo-talks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2021\/03\/16\/japan-us-officials-share-their-challenges-with-china-in-tokyo-talks\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan, US officials share their challenges with China in Tokyo talks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">TOKYO \u2014 Japan and the United States joined forces Tuesday to criticize China\u2019s \u201ccoercion and aggression\u201d in Asia as senior ministers from both countries held their first in-person talks since President Joe Biden took office in January. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aside from the sharp rhetoric aimed at Beijing, the meeting in Tokyo and a planned stop next in Seoul are as much an effort by<a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2021\/03\/11\/bidens-cost-sharing-deal-for-keeping-us-troops-in-south-korea-points-to-a-swift-shift-on-alliances\/\" target=_blank> the Biden administration to reassure worried allies in Asia<\/a> after four years of occasionally confrontational dealings with the Trump administration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, after holding the so-called \u201ctwo plus two\u201d security talks with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and their Japanese counterparts \u2014 Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi \u2014 said democracy and human rights in the region are being challenged and the United States will push with its partners for a free and open Indo-Pacific.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2021\/03\/11\/bidens-cost-sharing-deal-for-keeping-us-troops-in-south-korea-points-to-a-swift-shift-on-alliances\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"182\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21070073115277.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Biden\u2019s cost-sharing deal for keeping US troops in South Korea points to a swift shift on alliances<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">President Donald Trump had demanded South Korea pay billions more to keep American troops on its soil.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blinken said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2021\/03\/16\/2-key-us-cabinet-members-visit-japan-for-china-focused-talks\/\" target=_blank>the Biden administration<\/a> is committed to work with U.S. allies and those in the region as they face challenges from China and its ally North Korea, which is pursuing an illicit nuclear weapons program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe will push back if necessary, when China uses coercion or aggression to get its way,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a joint statement released after the talks, the ministers shared strong worry over Beijing\u2019s human rights violations in Xinjiang, \u201cunlawful maritime claims and activities in the South China Sea\u201d and \u201cunilateral action that seeks to change the status quo\u201d over the Japan-controlled East China Sea islands that China also claims. The statement also stressed the importance of \u201cpeace and stability\u201d in the Taiwan Strait. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the Biden administration\u2019s first Cabinet-level trip abroad, Blinken and Austin also agreed with their Japanese counterparts to cooperate on the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, as well as the nuclear threat posed by North Korea and the situation in Myanmar after its military coup.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2021\/03\/16\/north-criticizes-us-south-korean-military-drills-issues-warning-before-allies-meet\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2819341.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">North Korea criticizes US-South Korean military drills, issues warning before allies meet<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Kim Yo Jong\u2019s statement Tuesday was issued as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Asia to talk to U.S. allies Japan and South Korea about North Korea and other regional issues.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Tuesday, a day after the two U.S. officials arrived, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un\u2019s powerful sister <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2021\/03\/16\/north-criticizes-us-south-korean-military-drills-issues-warning-before-allies-meet\/\" target=_blank>warned the U.S. to \u201crefrain from causing a stink\u201d<\/a> if it wants to \u201csleep in peace\u201d for the next four years. She also criticized the U.S. and South Korea for holding military exercises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kim Yo Jong\u2019s statement was North Korea\u2019s first comments directed at the Biden administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Biden\u2019s decision to send key ministers to Japan as their first overseas visit \u2014 rather than hosting Japanese officials in Washington \u2014 means a lot for Japan, which considers its alliance with the United States the cornerstone of its diplomatic and security policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21075352302413.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90265\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21075352302413.jpg.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21075352302413.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21075352302413.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21075352302413.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21075352302413.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Japan&#8217;s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, right, attend a joint news conference after their two plus two security talks at Iikura Guest House in Tokyo, March 16, 2021. (Kazuhiro Nogi\/Pool Photo via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blinken, in his opening remarks at an earlier meeting with Motegi, said \u201cit is no accident that we chose Japan for the first Cabinet-level overseas travel\u201d of the Biden administration, and that he and Austin are \u201chere to reaffirm our commitment to the alliance and to build on it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said the United States and its allies are working on together on climate change, cyber security and health security \u201cin support of our shared values.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blinken also said that the United States and Japan reaffirmed the importance of their three-way partnership with South Korea, though the ministers did not publicly mention the strained relations between Tokyo and Seoul over wartime compensation issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">South Korea and Japan have been struggling to repair relations that sank in 2019 following South Korean court rulings that ordered Japanese companies to pay reparations for forced labor during World War II. Those rulings led to trade curbs by both countries and Seoul threatened to scrap a bilateral military intelligence-sharing agreement that was a major symbol of the countries\u2019 three-way security cooperation in the region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since then, Japan and U.S. have changed leaders, leaving hope for improved relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Austin referenced \u201cChina\u2019s destabilizing actions\u201d and said it was a \u201ca pacing challenge\u201d for his department. He said the allies need to develop operational capability to respond quickly to a security threat like China. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe know that competing in today\u2019s shifting global dynamics, can only be done through the spirit of teamwork and cooperation, which are the hallmarks of our alliance with Japan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1266\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21075295956280.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90269\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21075295956280.jpg.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21075295956280.jpg.jpg?resize=300,190 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21075295956280.jpg.jpg?resize=768,486 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21075295956280.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,648 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21075295956280.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,972 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin attends a joint news conference after the 2+2 Meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japan&#8217;s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi at Iikura Guest House in Tokyo, March 16, 2021. (Kim Kyung-hoon\/Pool Photo via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kishi said Japan, which has increasingly worked side-by-side with the U.S. military, will bolster extended deterrence and readiness across domains including space and cybersecurity by deepening coordination and aligning security policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> Japan\u2019s constitution prohibits the use of force in settling international disputes, and any attempt to increase its military capability is a sensitive issue in Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Japan is also in a delicate diplomatic situation because its economy, like those of other countries in the region, heavily depends on China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Tokyo considers China\u2019s escalating maritime activity in the region a security threat. Beijing has built <a href=\"https:\/\/www.navytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2021\/03\/16\/us-navy-transits-to-counter-china-increased-sharply-under-trump\/\" target=_blank>manmade islands in the South China Sea<\/a> and equipped them with military equipment and is pressing its claim to virtually all of the sea\u2019s key fisheries and waterways. Japan opposes China\u2019s claim to the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, called Diaoyu in China, in the East China Sea and its increased activity in the disputed area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">China has denied it is expansionist and has said it is only defending its territorial rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/newsletters\/daily-news-roundup\/2021\/03\/16\/us-navy-transits-to-counter-china-increased-sharply-under-trump\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21074807509543.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US Navy transits to counter China increased sharply under Trump<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">According to U.S. Navy data, war ships maneuvered close to artificial islands claimed and developed by China 10 times in 2019 and another 10 times last year, at least double the annual number going back to 2014.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Tuesday said U.S.- Japan dialogue \u201cshould not target or harm the interests of third parties.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe U.S. and Japan should engage in exchanges and cooperation that will help enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust among regional countries, contribute to solidarity and cooperation, as well as peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region,\u201d Zhao said at a daily briefing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later Tuesday, the American officials met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is expected to visit Washington sometime in the first half of April to meet with Biden in person \u2014 becoming the first foreign leader to do so since Biden became president in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a move meant to signal his intention for the U.S. to more strongly engage with the Asia-Pacific region, Biden on Friday held a first virtual summit of the leaders from Australia, Japan, India and the United States, a grouping known as the \u201cQuad,\u201d and emphasized Washington\u2019s commitment to the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blinken and Austin on Wednesday will head to South Korea, with the focus of those talks being North Korea and its nuclear ambitions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blinken will meet senior Chinese officials in Anchorage, Alaska, on his way back to Washington. Austin will go from Seoul to New Delhi for meetings with Indian leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration is committed to work with U.S. allies and those in the region as they face challenges from China and its ally North Korea, which is pursuing an illicit nuclear weapons program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":90263,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":68,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[100,8,23,93,12,25,68],"tags":[],"coauthors":[1212],"class_list":["post-54313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-flashpoints","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"2LPEOSQDGVAJLI5AVIVXVE3W54","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-military\/2021\/03\/16\/japan-us-officials-share-their-challenges-with-china-in-tokyo-talks\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Japan, US officials share their challenges with China in Tokyo talks - Army Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration is committed to work with U.S. allies and those in the region as they face challenges from China and its ally North Korea, which is pursuing an illicit nuclear weapons program.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Japan, US officials share their challenges with China in Tokyo talks\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration is committed to work with U.S. allies and those in the region as they face challenges from China and its ally North Korea, which is pursuing an illicit nuclear weapons program.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2021\/03\/16\/japan-us-officials-share-their-challenges-with-china-in-tokyo-talks\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Army Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-03-16T21:38:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T08:01:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta 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