Japan Press Weekly

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2012 October 10 - 16 [SDF]

PM seeks promotion of dynamic defense cooperation with US

Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko on October 14 said that Japan-U.S. military integration should be further strengthened by promoting “dynamic” defense cooperation.

At the Maritime Self-Defense Force fleet review held in Sagami Bay in Kanagawa Prefecture, the prime minister made this remark after referring to the so-called “Operation Tomodachi (friend)”, the disaster relief operation in which the U.S. forces in Japan and the SDF were jointly engaged after the 3.11 disaster.

The Japan-U.S. “dynamic” defense cooperation indicates that together with the U.S. military, the SDF will exercise armed force abroad.

With the recent territorial disputes with China and South Korea in mind, Noda added, “The security environment around Japan has become severe.”