Us - Japan Defense Minister Talks Being Arranged
NHK has learned Defense Minister Kono Taro is arranging a meeting with his US counterpart, Mark Esper, in the US territory of Guam this month.
Sources say Kono is planning to fly to Guam by an Air Self-Defense Force plane on August 29 for talks with Esper at a US Air Force base.
This would be Kono's first overseas trip following one in February to attend an international conference in Germany, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Kono and Esper are expected to discuss China's increased activities in the East and South China seas amid the pandemic.
Also on the agenda would be a response to North Korea's ballistic missiles after Japan scrapped a plan to deploy the US-made Aegis Ashore ground-based missile defense system in two locations.
Sources say the talks will be held with full measures in place against coronavirus infection, and Kono will not need to take two weeks self-quarantine after returning from Guam.
The Japanese government has made it mandatory for all arriving nationals to self-isolate for two weeks at home, hotels or elsewhere because of the coronavirus.
