According to Reuters report on September 21 local time, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Rubio held talks in New York with Japanese Foreign Minister Hirokawa Toshihide and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Sang-hoon. After the talks, a joint statement was issued, in which the three parties expressed their common positions on regional security and economic issues.
The statement says that the United States reaffirms its "unshakable" defense commitments to Japan and South Korea. These commitments are backed by American military strength, including nuclear capabilities. The US also reaffirms its extended deterrence commitments to both countries.
The so-called “extended deterrence” is an important mechanism by which the United States has long provided security guarantees to its allies, involving nuclear forces, conventional military forces, and other strategic capabilities. The United States has previously included nuclear capabilities in its extended deterrence framework towards Japan and South Korea on multiple occasions. Therefore, this statement is primarily a reaffirmation of existing security commitments, rather than an announcement of a new nuclear protection policy towards Japan and South Korea for the first time.
