(VOVworld) – Defense authorities and diplomats from Japan and the US met in Tokyo on Thursday to discuss bilateral defense cooperation. They touched upon cyber security and cooperation in space exploration. The second round of defense talks is scheduled for early next year.

In October, military and diplomatic chiefs of Japan and the US met at a 2+2 meeting on security in Tokyo, where they agreed to revise defense cooperation directions at the end of 2014. This will be the first revision in 17 years and is in response to a changing security environment.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel attend their joint news with Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida at the Japan-US Security Consultative Committee, or the so-called two-plus-two meeting of foreign and defense ministers in Tokyo October 3, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

Their joint statement said that closer cooperation will improve ballistic missile defense and address security challenges. The US-Japan security alliance is considered the bedrock of regional peace and stability.