Japan announced on 16 March that it is "resolved" to enhance its national defence capabilities and further strengthen its alliance with the United States amid what both countries described as "political, economic, military, and technological challenges" posed by China to both their alliance and the international community. The announcement was part of a joint statement issued by Washington and Tokyo following the '2+2' US-Japan Security Consultative Committee meeting held that same day between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin, Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi.
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