Suga Hails Mattis Contribution to Japan-U.S. Alliance

Tokyo, Dec. 21 (Jiji Press)--Outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis has contributed to deepening the alliance between Japan and the United States, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Friday. The defense secretary "has made efforts to strengthen the deterrent power and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance and maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and the international community," Suga said at a press conference. "We appreciate the secretary's contribution and will continue to work closely with him until he leaves office at the end of February," Suga added. At a separate press conference, Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya said that he was a little surprised by U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement on Thursday of the resignation of Mattis. Iwaya said he hopes that the replacement of Mattis will succeed the U.S. government's policy of working closely with allies including Japan. END