WASHINGTON, Jan. 13, 2018 — Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan and Japan's minister of state for space policy met yesterday to discuss the importance of space to the mutual defense of their nations and how the United States and Japan can expand cooperation in that domain as they prepare for contingencies.
In a statement summarizing the meeting, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff A. Davis said Shanahan and Masaji Matsuyama spoke about how space fits into the current security situation in the Asia-Pacific region and how the two countries can increase cooperative efforts in areas such as satellite communications, hosted payloads and Japanese participation in U.S. space
Reaffirming U.S. Commitment
Shanahan noted that the National Defense Strategy that will be released next week will reaffirm the U.S. Defense Department's commitment to the Asia-Pacific region, to the nation’s alliances, and to building greater capabilities in the space domain, Davis said.
“The two leaders agreed to continue efforts to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance by integrating space into our political and military discussions at all levels,” he added.