AUKUS: "We Are Considering Cooperation With Japan On AUKUS Pillar II"

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles and UK Defence Minister Grant Shapps - have released ajoint statementsignalling that Japan will likely be invited to join "Pillar 2" of the AUKUS security pact.

• Statement: "Our objective remains to further the delivery of advanced military capabilities to our respective defense forces in support of regional stability and security; we are confident that engaging like-minded partners in the work of Pillar II will only strengthen this pursuit. Recognizing Japan's strengths and its close bilateral defense partnerships with all three countries, we are considering cooperation with Japan on AUKUS Pillar II advanced capability projects."
• Pillar II of AUKUS focuses on advanced technology, "ranging from artificial intelligence and quantum computing to undersea capabilities and hypersonic weapons," per FT.
• FT notes: "Some in [Biden's] administration — including Kurt Campbell, deputy secretary of state, and Rahm Emanuel, the US ambassador to Tokyo — had pushed to add Japan as a Pillar II partner. But Australia and Britain, and some in the US government, argued it was too early to add a partner, even if Japan is the most important US ally in Asia.
• Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will be in DC this week for an Official Visit with President Biden and a ‘historic’ trilateral summit with Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos.
• Kishida will address a Joint Session of Congress on Thursday where he is expected to stress that Japan-US military partnership is crucial in maintaining a free and open international order.