TOKYO, March 26 (The Yomiuri Shimbun/ANN) - The Japanese and U.S. governments plan to release a joint statement in show of unity against China after the first in-person meeting of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and President Joe Biden in early April, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.
In light of China’s repeated encroachments on Japan's territorial sovereignty, the two governments plan to clearly state that Article 5 of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, which stipulates U.S. obligations to defend Japan, applies to the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. The two governments are also coordinating an affirmation of cooperation on other security issues, such as the development of diversified supply chains for rare earths and pharmaceuticals, for inclusion in the statement.