The Liberal Democratic Party and Nippon Ishin no Kai began joint talks on revising Japan's three security documents, opening a project team as the government aims for a cabinet decision within weeks.
The three documents are the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy and the Defense Buildup Program. The government plans to revise them within the year.
Hirotaka Hamada, who chairs the LDP's security research commission, said the party would proceed carefully. "We will discuss this carefully and keep working for this country, aiming to revise the three security documents," he said.
Seiji Maehara, who chairs Ishin's security research commission, said the documents should strengthen both Japan's own strategic autonomy and the indispensability of the Japan-US alliance. He called these points "very important" in the three documents.
Cabinet decision targeted for next month
The government intends to weigh the ruling parties' discussions alongside a report from a panel of experts, which it plans to compile early next month. It then aims for a cabinet decision in the middle of next month, ABEMA Times reported.
Ishin's entry into the talks gives the coalition a second party at the table on defense policy. The party has pressed for a stronger security posture and a more equal alliance with Washington.