TOKYO (Kyodo) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Tokyo on Friday for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other top officials aimed at underlining the firm bilateral alliance in the face of the threat posed by North Korea and other regional security challenges.
The visit to Japan by Mattis -- the first by a member of the Cabinet of U.S. President Donald Trump -- has been welcomed by Tokyo as a sign of continuing U.S. involvement in the Asia-Pacific region. Mattis chose South Korea and Japan for his first overseas trip as Pentagon chief.
The trip is also expected to lay the groundwork for the Feb. 10 summit meeting between Abe and Trump in Washington, with Tokyo seeking to gauge how Trump's "America First" agenda will affect the bilateral alliance as it continues to be baffled by the president's position on trade and currency issues.
During the series of meetings, Mattis, a retired Marine general, is expected to agree with Japanese officials on the importance of maintaining a strong alliance amid North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs as well as China's maritime assertiveness, with Japan keen to emphasize that U.S. engagement is vital to ensuring stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Japanese government also wants to secure reassurances over U.S. commitments to Japan's security, including the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands, which China claims and calls Diaoyu.
Read the full story at The Mainichi