{"id":28095,"date":"2022-05-03T17:34:15","date_gmt":"2022-05-03T17:34:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2022\/05\/03\/us-japan-defense-chiefs-to-meet-on-russia-crisis\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T16:09:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T16:09:31","slug":"us-japan-defense-chiefs-to-meet-on-russia-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/2022\/05\/03\/us-japan-defense-chiefs-to-meet-on-russia-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"US, Japan defense chiefs to meet on Russia crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2015 Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will host his Japanese counterpart Wednesday for face-to-face talks about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as the war\u2019s ripple effect creates fresh tensions between Tokyo and Moscow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi plans to visit U.S. Cyber Command and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency weeks after Russia\u2019s state media announced<\/a> Moscow had deployed its Bastion coastal defense missile system on the Kuril Islands, which Russia and Japan both claim. But that isn\u2019t the only sign of tensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent days, Russia threatened to retaliate amid reports that Japan and the U.S. will step up joint drills this fall, with more than 4,000 personnel. After Japan decided to expel Russian diplomats in response to Russia\u2019s actions in Ukraine, Russia announced it would expel eight Japanese diplomats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Monday, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby hailed Japan\u2019s recent participation in a group of nations, convened by Austin, to focus on aid to Ukraine, calling them one of America\u2019s most important allies. Echoing Austin\u2019s public remarks, Kirby also downplayed fears Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine may have emboldened China to use force to take Taiwan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI fully expect that issues regarding Ukraine, and how the United States and Japan are going to support Ukraine, will be on the agenda. I also fully expect that tensions with China will be on the agenda, but the degree to which there is an interplay between the two, I think we\u2019ll just let these two ministers talk before we get out ahead of that,\u201d Kirby said, adding that they were \u201ccompletely two different scenarios.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pentagon announced the meeting days after Japan\u2019s ruling party asked Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to consider doubling the country\u2019s defense budget to an amount on par with 2% or more of its gross domestic product.<\/p>\n\n\n\t