US dismisses report of AUKUS parties urging Japan to join alliance as 'inaccurate'

The report claiming that the parties in the AUKUS pact, namely the United States, Australia and UK, have asked Japan to "informally" join the alliance is completely "inaccurate," White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Wednesday. She was responding to the question over a report by Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun that claimed the three members of the alliance had unofficially requested Tokyo to join the pact in order to help develop advanced weapons. Addressing a press briefing, she rebuffed the report, stating that "it is inaccurate." Psaki's comment came after the Japan-based newspaper reported that the AUKUS parties were interested in a close partnership with Japan. Further, it went on to add that the members were expecting Japan to offer high-tech potential in cyberspace, artificial intelligence and quantum technologies in order to produce and modify tools of electronic warfare, including hypersonic weapons, which is one of the initiatives under AUKUS. The publication also stated that the Japanese officials are divided in the proposal over its feasibility and derivable benefits from the US partnership amid growing pressure of aggravation from China and North Korea. Japan denies reports insisting it recieved 'informal invite' to join AUKUS Meanwhile, Japan on Wednesday denied Sankei Shimbun's article saying that "there is no fact" in the report claiming Tokyo was "informally invited" to join the pact. Tokyo's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno denied the claims of the report, adding that "Tokyo was not asked to participate." The said report cited several anonymous Japanese government officials, who made an unproven approach to such a possibility. It is pertinent to mention that the reactions from the US and the Japanese come after Sankei Shimbun on Tuesday reported that Tokyo was asked to be a part of the trilateral military agreement that was formed last year in September between Australia, the UK and US. The said pact is largely seen as a military alliance to deter China's strategic influence in the Indo-Pacific region. While initially the deal only aimed to provide a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, last week, the trio upgraded the provisions to include the development of hypersonic missiles, a move supported by Tokyo. This comes at a time when Japan is already working on a special railgun that is believed to intercept hypersonic projectiles using electromagnetic force at extremely high speed. (Image: AP)

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US dismisses report of AUKUS parties urging Japan to join alliance as 'inaccurate'

The report claiming that the AUKUS pact parties, namely the US, Australia and UK, have asked Japan to "informally" join the alliance is completely "inaccurate"

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