After Half a Year, Japan's Abe Meets Foreign Dignitary... Emphasizes Alliance to US Space Force Commander

Abe "US-Japan Alliance Increasingly Important"... Attends Work for Third Morning Despite 'Health Rumors'

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (right in the photo) and John Raymond, Commander of the United States Space Force [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has been surrounded by rumors of health issues, held talks with General John Raymond, commander of the U.S. Space Force established last year, and confirmed U.S.-Japan cooperation in the space sector, NHK and others reported on the 27th.

According to the reports, Prime Minister Abe met with Commander Raymond at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in the morning. This was the first time in six months that Abe met a foreign dignitary visiting Japan since receiving Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party, on February 28. The Space Force is the sixth branch of the U.S. military, following the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

At the meeting, Prime Minister Abe said, "Amid the spread of uncertainty in the international community due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance is increasing even more," adding, "To strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the U.S.-Japan alliance, I want to deepen linkage and cooperation in the space sector."

Commander Raymond, the first senior officer of the U.S. Space Force established in December last year to visit Japan, also stated, "As the situation surrounding space becomes more severe, we will specifically promote cooperation with Japan, our most important partner," and agreed to promote technological cooperation and strengthen linkage between the space units of both countries.

Prime Minister Abe commuted to the Prime Minister's Official Residence in the morning for the third consecutive day until this day. Abe's health rumors spread after he was examined at Keio University Hospital on the 24th, following the 17th during his summer vacation. Also, before and after the summer vacation, he often spent mornings on weekdays at his private residence and commuted to the Official Residence in the afternoon.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.