Washington [US], December 4 (ANI/Sputnik): US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi have held a phone conversation, during which they agreed to hold a meeting in a 2+2 format with the nations' foreign policy chiefs, the US Department of Defence said.

During the conversation, Austin and Kishi expressed commitment to security and stability in the Asia Pacific region, as well as pointed out the strength of the US-Japanese alliance.

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"Secretary Austin and Minister Kishi discussed efforts to deepen defense cooperation to maintain regional deterrence, and agreed to hold a Security Consultative Committee '2+2' meeting at an early date," the Pentagon said in a statement on late Friday.

The ministers also stressed the importance of close trilateral cooperation between the US, Japan and South Korea. (ANI/Sputnik)

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(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)