ISTANBUL

Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi and US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge A. Colby on Wednesday discussed the two countries’ "critical role" in strengthening the alliance’s capabilities to "deter and respond" during talks in Tokyo.

Funakoshi and Colby "exchanged views on the regional security environment as well as bilateral security and defense cooperation," according to a statement from the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

"Moreover, they concurred on the critical role both countries play to reinforce the Japan-U.S. Alliance capabilities to deter and respond," it added.

Colby, before the meeting, had said on the US social media company X that the Tokyo-Washington alliance is "of profound and fundamental importance."

"I look forward to discussing with Japanese counterparts how we can quickly and materially strengthen deterrence along the first island chain in line with the NSS (National Security Strategy) and NDS (National Defense Strategy)," he added.

Colby visited South Korea before arriving in Japan.