Japan-U.S. 2+2 affirm cooperation on counterstrike capabilities

WASHINGTON — Japan and the U.S. on Wednesday affirmed cooperation on counterstrike capabilities during a joint foreign and defense ministers meeting, as Tokyo accelerates efforts to bolster its defenses in response to an increasingly challenging national security environment.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington. It was the first so-called two-plus-two dialogue between the countries since January 2022, which was held online.