Japan-U.S. Extended Deterrence Dialogue

Office of the Spokesperson

The Government of Japan and the Government of the United States of America held a bilateral Extended Deterrence Dialogue (EDD) at King’s Bay Naval Base in Georgia from June 21-22, 2022. The Japanese side was co-chaired by Mr. Kanai Masaaki, Deputy Director-General, North American Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Yamato Taro, Deputy Director-General, Defense Policy Bureau, Ministry of Defense, while the U.S. side was co-chaired by Ms. Alexandra Bell, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Department of State, and Mr. Richard Johnson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense.

This round of the EDD follows the May 2022 U.S.-Japan Leaders’ Summit, during which President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio underscored the importance of enhancing bilateral discussions on extended deterrence. During the EDD, the United States and Japan shared assessments of the regional security environment, and the U.S. side provided a briefing on the current state of U.S. nuclear capabilities, including the posture and modernization program of its nuclear triad, as well as its declaratory policy, based on the recently completed Nuclear Posture Review.

The two sides held in-depth discussions on extended deterrence and how arms control, nonproliferation, conventional forces and missile defense contribute to integrated deterrence as well as to credible and resilient extended deterrence.

As part of the EDD, the delegations visited the Ohio-class submarine USS Maryland.

Extended deterrence forms the core of the Japan-U.S. Alliance. The EDD, established in 2010, provides Tokyo and Washington with a regularized process to discuss ways to sustain and strengthen extended deterrence.