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US Defence Secretary James Mattis meets Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo. Photo: EPA

US stands 'shoulder-to-shoulder' with Japan, visiting defence chief Mattis says

Donald Trump

US Defence Secretary James Mattis said Friday that the United States stands “100 per cent” with Japan on a visit meant to confirm the importance of the countries’ security alliance.

“We stand firmly, 100 per cent, shoulder-to-shoulder with you and (the) Japanese people,” Mattis told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after arriving on his first visit since the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.

“I wanted to make certain that Article Five of our mutual defence treaty is understood to be as real to us today as it was a year ago, five years ago and it will be a year and 10 years from now,” he added.

Article 5 obliges the United States to defend territories under Japanese administrative control.

Japan has been keen for assurances that Trump’s administration would continue Washington’s previous policy of committing to defend disputed East China Sea islands that are under Japanese control but claimed also by China.

Abe said he was convinced that, with Trump and Mattis, the United States and Japan could demonstrate to the world their “unwavering alliance.”

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis meets Japanese Defence Minister Tomomi Inada. Photo: EPA

During his campaign for president Trump sparked unease in Japan for suggesting the country should pay more to support US troops and might even need to develop its own nuclear deterrent.

Before coming to Japan, Mattis visited South Korea where he met top officials to discuss North Korean issues and the planned deployment of an advanced US missile defence system known as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence system in South Korea.

Seoul argues that the THAAD deployment is intended to better address North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes. But China has strongly opposed the move amid concern that the system’s radar could spy on Chinese territory and undermine its security interests.

South Korea has enjoyed US security protection since the 1950-53 Korean war, but on the campaign trail, Trump threatened to withdraw US forces from it and Japan if they do not step up their financial support.

Some 28,500 US troops are based in South Korea to defend it against the nuclear-armed North, and 47,000 in Japan.

Additional reporting by Kyodo and Reuters

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