US, Japan to boost security, military cooperation

By LOLITA C. BALDOR and MATTHEW LEE
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Japan are boosting military and security cooperation as their top national security officials hold talks in Washington. The U.S. and Japanese foreign and defense ministers are set to agree Wednesday to revisions in their joint defense posture that will adjust the American troop presence on the island of Okinawa. As they prepared to meet, Japan’s defense ministry announced it was ready to start runway construction on an uninhabited island where the two militaries will conduct joint military exercises. The moves come as the nations confront rising threats from North Korea and increasing aggressiveness from China and precede a meeting on Friday between President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.