"Exponentially enhancing our cooperation, capability and capacity in moving our alliance forward…will be critical as we face diverse challenges in the region from China and North Korea", Shanahan told reporters.
According to the joint security treaty, the US military has the right to utilise lands and capacities in Japan in order to maintain peace in East Asia. In addition, Japan has been hosting several US military bases on its territory since Tokyo's defeat in World War II.
US, Japan Agree to Enforce UN Sanctions on North Korea Until Full Denuclearisation
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, in turn, said at a press conference that the United States and Japan share the position that the UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea should remain implemented until the Korean Peninsula entirely destroys its nuclear arsenal,
"The United States and Japan had agreed that we need to implement [UN] Security Council resolution until North Korea CVID [complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation] all the weapons of mass destruction and the missiles of all ranges," Kono said. "Unless they take concrete steps towards CVID of nuclear weapons and missiles, there is going to be no bright future for North Korea".
Kono pointed out that the United States and Japan also agreed to work with other partner-countries on the prevention of illicit ship-to-ship transfers of goods to North Korea in violation of UN Security Council-imposed sanctions.
READ MORE: Japan, US Discuss Trade Ahead of Full-Scale Talks
The UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1718 in 2006 with which it imposed economic and commercial sanctions on North Korea and guiding the Sanctions Committee to monitor the sanctions’ implementation.
