Japan, US to deepen alliance in “2+2” meeting next week -spokesman

FILE PHOTO: Japan’s new Chief of Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato leaves after announcing new cabinet members at a news conference in Tokyo, Japan, September 16, 2020. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will reaffirm its strong relationship with the United States and discuss the “difficult” regional security situation in the “two-plus-two” meeting of foreign and defence chiefs next week, the government’s top spokesman said on Thursday.

The allies will aim to strengthen their deterrence and response capabilities in dealing with the region’s security, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a regular news conference, ahead of the bilateral meeting on March 16.

(Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim)