American and Japanese defense officials are set to meet in Tokyo early next month to discuss weapon development issues. This follows last month’s commitment by the two countries to deepen defense industrial cooperation.
According to sources cited by Nikkei Asia on Thursday, William LaPlante, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, will hold the first meeting of the Defense Industry Cooperation, Acquisition, and Sustainment (DICAS) forum with Masaki Fukasawa, Director of the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA) of Japan.
An unnamed U.S. government official revealed that the two-day DICAS forum meeting, starting on June 10, will focus on enhancing joint production of the Patriot surface-to-air missile and future collaborative development of jet trainers. The following day, the two sides will convene the Japan Ship Repair Committee to discuss short-term maintenance of U.S. Navy vessels at private Japanese shipyards.
Since the end of the Cold War, many U.S. shipyards have closed down, resulting in a considerable shortage of maintenance capacity for the U.S. Navy, leading to a significant number of destroyers and submarines being unavailable for use due to waiting for repairs. Japan’s provision of maintenance support for U.S. Navy vessels has become increasingly crucial.
In terms of naval vessels, the Chinese Navy has become the largest naval force in the world. With the rapid expansion of the Chinese Navy, this has become an urgent issue that needs to be addressed.
The official mentioned that similar to the AUKUS trilateral security partnership involving the U.S., UK, and Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine project, the U.S., Japan, and Australia will also be working towards constructing a similar maritime vessel cooperation project.
Nikkei Asia quoted industry insiders suggesting that the DICAS talks could lead to Japan increasing its weapons production to further support the diminishing stockpiles of the U.S. As the U.S. faces supply shortages due to providing financial aid and weaponry to Ukraine and Israel.
Under authorization from U.S. defense contractor Raytheon Company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan manufactures Patriot missiles. Last December, the Japanese government revised its defense export control guidelines and delivered missiles to the U.S. to supplement weapons supplies in European and Middle Eastern theaters.
The DICAS forum is part of a defense industrial cooperation project announced during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to the U.S. in April, where he and President Biden jointly declared their commitment. The White House statement said the DICAS forum aims to identify industrial cooperation between the U.S. and Japan in priority areas, including joint development and production of missiles, as well as collaborating with Japanese private enterprises on the maintenance of U.S. Navy vessels, military aircraft, and fourth-generation fighter jets.