[b]TOKYO — U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis reassured Japanese leaders Friday that President Donald Trump is fully committed to defending Japan as a treaty partner.

Trump himself raised doubts about the value of the alliance by saying during his presidential campaign that the security partnership is a bad deal for the U.S.

Mattis was firm in stating that the Trump administration will stand behind Japan. He spoke at the start of a meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Abe welcomed Mattis and said he looked forward to visiting the White House next week.

In South Korea earlier, Mattis delivered an explicit warning to North Korea, asserting that any use of nuclear weapons by the North on the United States or its allies would be met with what he called an "effective and overwhelming" response.
U.S. defense secretaries have long offered assurances to South Korea and Japan that the American nuclear "umbrella" will protect them, but Mattis's statement was perhaps more pointed than most. He made the remarks during an appearance with his South Korean counterpart, Defense Minister Han Min Koo.

"North Korea continues to launch missiles, develop its nuclear weapons program, and engage in threatening rhetoric and behavior," Mattis said with Han standing at his side and U.S. and South Korean flags at their backs.

"We stand with our peace-loving Republic of Korea ally to maintain stability on the peninsula and in the region," he added. "America's commitments to defending our allies and to upholding our extended deterrence guarantees remain ironclad: Any attack on the United States, or our allies, will be defeated, and any use of nuclear weapons would be met with a response that would be effective and overwhelming."
.S. defense secretaries have long offered assurances to South Korea and Japan that the American nuclear "umbrella" will protect them, but Mattis's statement was perhaps more pointed than most. He made the remarks during an appearance with his South Korean counterpart, Defense Minister Han Min Koo.

"North Korea continues to launch missiles, develop its nuclear weapons program, and engage in threatening rhetoric and behavior," Mattis said with Han standing at his side and U.S. and South Korean flags at their backs.

"We stand with our peace-loving Republic of Korea ally to maintain stability on the peninsula and in the region," he added. "America's commitments to defending our allies and to upholding our extended deterrence guarantees remain ironclad: Any attack on the United States, or our allies, will be We stand with our peace-loving Republic of Korea ally to maintain stability on the peninsula and in the region," he added. "America's commitments to defending our allies and to upholding our extended deterrence guarantees remain ironclad: Any attack on the United States, or our allies, will be defeated, and any use of nuclear weapons would be met with a response that would be effective and overwhelming."

Mattis's statement showed why he chose South Korea for his first visit overseas since becoming defense secretary Jan. 20. He sought to reassure South Koreans of the longstanding U.S. commitment to a defense treaty that President Donald Trump suggested during the campaign is a bad deal for America.

Mattis also was discussing with the South Koreans a timetable for deploying an advanced U.S. missile defense system, the Theater High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, that is meant to improve protection of South Korea and Japan — as well as U.S. troops stationed in both countries — against a North Korean missile attack. He suggested that the deployment will go forward, despite its political sensitivity in Seoul. He called it an example of "defensive steps" the United States is taking in response to Pyongyang's "threatening rhetoric and destabilizing behavior." The current caretaker South Korean government has said it supports THAAD deployment, but the decision is in doubt because of approaching national elections.

On Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang reiterated China's opposition to THAAD at a regularly scheduled briefing.

"We have resolute opposition to the deployment of THAAD to South Korea by the U.S. and ROK, which remains unchanged and will not change," the statement said. "Such actions by the U.S. and ROK will jeopardize security and the strategic interests of regional countries, including China, and undermine undermine the strategic balance in the region."
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/02/03/defense-secretary-mattis-reassures-japanese-us-support.html[/b]