US and Japan forge closer ties amidst missile and moon landing initiatives

Plans to expand the air defense network to include Australia are announced. A Japanese astronaut will join NASA's Artemis program to land on the Moon, becoming the first non-American to do so. The talks primarily focused on defense matters in the Indo-Pacific, Ukraine, and Gaza. Advertisement During his Washington visit, US President Joe Biden and Japan's Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, pledged to enhance defense cooperation in response to a potential threat from China. They announced plans to expand the air defense network to include Australia. Mr. Biden also announced that a Japanese astronaut would join NASA's Artemis program to land…