Fighter jets from the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and the United States Armed Forces conduct a joint drill west of the Kyushu region on Oct. 4 in response to the recent missile launch by North Korea. (Provided by the Joint Staff Office at the Defense Ministry)

Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks to reporters at the prime minister's office on Oct. 4. (The Asahi Shimbun)

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to shore up their respective nations' deterrence and response capabilities when they spoke after North Korea’s most recent missile launch.

Kishida and Biden talked on the phone for about 25 minutes on the evening of Oct. 4 to discuss the missile that soared over Japan earlier that morning. 

Kishida told reporters after the call that he had shared his concerns with Biden and “strongly condemned” North Korea’s “reckless” action.

He said the missile’s trajectory was an “obvious and serious challenge to the peace and stability of our country, our region and the international community.”

The two leaders agreed to enhance the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty’s capabilities to deter or respond to attacks and said they will speed up their efforts to deal with North Korea.

According to Kishida, the two leaders renewed their understanding that the two countries will closely cooperate both bilaterally and trilaterally with South Korea at the U.N. Security Council in pursuing the complete denuclearization of North Korea.

He told Biden that he will work to fundamentally enhance Japan’s defense capabilities.

“We will always have to consider unique sanctions” concerning North Korea, Kishida said. “We would like to send a strong message (about North Korea) while cooperating with relevant countries, including through various efforts at the United Nations.”

He said Japan has been in close communication with South Korea on “various security issues while bringing the United States into the dialogue."

“As the security issues concern people’s lives, we would like to have close communications (with South Korea),” Kishida said. 

The prime minister also said he would like to “encourage efforts by diplomatic authorities” to set up a meeting with South Korea’s new president, Yoon Suk-yeol.

Japan’s Defense Ministry announced on Oct. 4 that following the missile launch by North Korea, Japan and the United States conducted a joint fighter aircraft drill west of the Kyushu region.

It included F-15s and F-2s from the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and F-35Bs from the United States Armed Forces. 

The ministry said the exercise shows both nations are ready to promptly respond to an emergency and engage enemy forces if needed.

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