Japan and the United States have reaffirmed their military ties in a meeting between Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and his US counterpart, Chuck Hagel at the Pentagon. The meeting assumes significance in the wake of the threats to Japan by the DPRK.
During talks on Monday, Hagel and Onodera agreed that the US would deploy a second squadron of the MV-22 Osprey to Okinawa despite controversy over the aircraft. On the issue of the Korean peninsular tension, Hagel called Pyongyang’s recent provocative actions "the most obvious threat to stability in the region." Hagel reiterated his warning to the DPRK that the US and its allies stand "prepared for any contingency." Onodera said the two countries are now working closely on information analysis and sharing.