Helicopters fly over armored vehicles during the Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces' annual live fire exercise at the Higashi-Fuji firing range in Gotemba, at the foot of Mt. Fuji in Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, Aug 22, 2019. (TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA / AFP)
TOKYO – The foreign and defense ministers of Japan and the United States will hold talks on aspects of security and co-operation in Washington on Wednesday, the Asian nation's foreign ministry said.
The so-called "2 plus 2" meeting of the allies will discuss security challenges and co-operation on ways to achieve a "free and open Indo-Pacific", the ministry added on Friday.
READ MORE: Japan, US arranging summit meeting in Washington on Jan 13
The meeting will be held ahead of talks between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and US President Joe Biden at the White House on Jan 13.