Tokyo, Dec. 10 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Tuesday agreed to strengthen multilateral cooperation including between their countries and South Korea.

In their talks in Tokyo, Nakatani and Austin also agreed to deepen the Japan-US alliance.

Nakatani said that he has seen progress in multilateral cooperation, including with Australia and South Korea, in the two months since he took office. Austin said that historic progress has been made over multilateral cooperation.

Austin separately met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

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