For the first time in four years, and for the first time since the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) assumed power in September 2009, the United States and Japan held a meeting of the Security Consultative Committee, or the so-called "2+2" talks, comprising cabinet-level foreign and defense officials in Washington, D.C on June 21. Following the consultations, a set of four documents including a Joint Statement were released. Yuki Tatsumi, Senior Associate of the East Asia Program at the Stimson Center, cautions that while these documents embody admirable efforts to create positive momentum in the US-Japan alliance, the alliance continues to face the risk of drift.

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