Readout of Secretary Mattis' Call with Japan Minister of Defense Itsunori Onodera

Secretary of Defense James Mattis spoke by phone with his Japanese counterpart Minister of Defense Itsunori Onodera on the evening of 14 September following the latest North Korean missile launch.  The secretary reassured his Japanese counterpart of America's unwavering commitment to the defense of Japan and the broader security of the region.  Secretary Mattis and Minister Onodera agreed that the North Korean provocation called for a strong demonstration of a unified front between the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, and agreed on the importance of robust trilateral defense cooperation between the three nations.