US denies inviting Japan to join Aukus security alliance
- The White House rejected a media report that said Washington, London and Canberra had informally asked Tokyo about the possibility of it joining the pact
- It added the group’s ‘focus has been on finalising a trilateral programme of work on a range of advanced military capabilities that aligns its priorities’
“Our focus has been on finalising a trilateral programme of work on a range of advanced military capabilities that align our priorities, amplify our collective strengths and accelerate the development and acquisition of leading-edge defence capabilities,” Psaki said.
“It is not a ‘Jaukus’ plan,” she added.
The Japanese daily Sankei Shimbun reported on Tuesday that each Aukus member had informally asked Japan, a key US security ally, about the possibility of it joining the partnership, which was launched in September last year with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region amid China’s growing assertiveness.
The newspaper also said that if Japan were to join Aukus, which stands for Australia, the United Kingdom and the US, the expanded partnership may then be called “Jaukus.”