TOKYO, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Japan and the United States announced plans to deploy a second TPY-2 long-range radar in Kyoto city for early detection of any North Korean ballistic missiles.
The announcement was made in Tokyo by Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel at a joint news conference, which was also attended by Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. The four spoke after participating in their U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee meeting, also known as the "two-plus-two" security meeting.
Referring to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, Onodera said Kyoto city was "selected as a site for additional deployment of our TPY-2 radar."
Hagel said the additional radar in Kyoto "will bolster our ability to defend the U.S. homeland and in Japan against North Korean ballistic missiles, and it enhances an important 21st century alliance capability."
Hagel also said the Japan-U.S. meeting underlined the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, "which will make our presence more geographically distributed, operationally resilient, and politically sustainable for the long term."
The Japan-U.S. security meeting was the first such to be held in Japan and the first such formal review of the alliance since 1997.
Hagel said the two sides also want to make the alliance more effective by deploying the most advanced capabilities to the region. He cited the successful introduction of two squadrons of MV-22 Osprey aircraft in Japan by the U.S. Marine Corps.
"I can also announce today that the United States Navy will make its first deployment of P-8 maritime patrol aircraft outside of the United States later this year in Japan," Hagel said. "The cutting edge capabilities of the P-8, which I saw demonstrated last summer, will greatly enhance the alliance's maritime demand and domain awareness and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities."
Hagel also said over the next year, the United States and Japan will identify new technologies and capabilities to meet emerging security challenges, including those in space and cyberspace.
He said cyber cooperation has emerged as a focus area for the alliance between the two countries.
Kerry, in his comments, said it was agreed at the meeting the two sides will work together to shape the framework to guide the alliance in the years to come.
"I might add this reevaluation of these guidelines has not occurred since 1997," Kerry said. "So given the changes that have taken place in the world, just the challenges of cyberspace, the challenges of counterterrorism, it is highly valuable to be undertaking this reevaluation and setting the roadmap for the next 15 to 20 years, and that is precisely what we, I think, have achieved here today."
Kerry referred to the Obama administration's rebalancing of U.S. interests and investments in Asia, and said as a Pacific power, the United States "understands the fundamental importance that our Pacific partnership gives to our security and to our prosperity."
