US Secretary of Defense James Mattis met with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Abe's official residence in Tokyo on Friday and offered US solidarity with Japan and reassured the close US ally that Washington was mindful of its interests during talks with Pyongyang.
Mattis, the most senior U.S. administration official to visit Japan also met with Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera who has urged the international community to keep sanctions and surveillance on North Korea, saying it has a history of reneging on agreements.
US Defense Secretary also assured South Korea the day before about the robustness of the bilateral security alliance linking the countries
While the Americans seemed keen to assure allies in Northeast Asia of continued support at a time when US President Donald Trump has made conflicting statements on the issues, other experts suggested that the alliance – founded on the idea of supporting these countries against a North Korea attack or invasion – is outdated and could even be a cause of regional friction.
US President Donald Trump unexpectedly announced the decision to suspend US drills with South Korea at a press conference following his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12.
Trump's announcement appeared to catch US allies in the region, including South Korea, by surprise, with Seoul issuing a statement saying officials there needed to "figure out President Trump's accurate meaning and intention."
Singapore meeting also did not appear to resolve Japanese security concerns about a missile program that Tokyo sees as a direct threat.
