President Barack Obama welcomes Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the White House on Tuesday for an official state visit expected to focus on expanding bilateral defense and economic ties.
Ahead of the visit, Mr. Abe and other top Japanese officials met their U.S. counterparts in New York on Monday and agreed to tighten their defense alliance, a move widely seen as a response to China's growing power.
The revised guidelines help Japan play a larger part in international conflicts, allowing Tokyo to come to the defense of a third country and strengthening its role in missile defense, mine sweeping, and ship inspections.
It is the first time in 18 years the U.S. and Japan have revised their defense guidelines. The move follows Japan's decision last year to reinterpret its pacifist constitution to allow for collective self-defense.
"Today we mark the establishment of Japan's capacity to defend not just its own territory, but also the United States and other partners, as needed," said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at a news conference.
Kerry also provided fresh assurances that a group of islands claimed by both China and Japan fall under the scope of a mutual defense treaty, meaning Washington is obliged to come to Tokyo's aid in the event the islands are attacked.