A senior US government official has hinted that next month’s Japan-US summit will discuss technological collaboration between Japan and AUKUS, a security framework of Australia, Britain and the United States.
Speaking to reporters in Tokyo on Thursday, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said US President Joe Biden and Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio are likely to discuss the topic at their meeting in Washington.
The trilateral AUKUS partnership was launched in 2021 in the face of China’s increasing maritime activities.
AUKUS currently has two pillars. One is the deployment of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, and the other is cooperation in the areas of advanced technologies and industries.
Campbell noted that he understood Japan’s position on the use of nuclear technology in the security area. He said AUKUS’s second pillar may be on the agenda at the summit, suggesting that Biden and Kishida may exchange views on cooperation in the areas of robotic engineering and cyber technology.
The US administration has been positive about the potential participation of US allies and other partners in technological cooperation under AUKUS.
Campbell expressed hope for Japan’s participation, saying there are clearly areas where Tokyo “can bring substantial capacity to bear in security and technological pursuits that advance common goals in the Indo-Pacific.”