TOKYO -- Washington and Tokyo have begun preparations for U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to visit Japan as early as mid-March to meet their Japanese counterparts.
Blinken and Austin will be first cabinet members to fly abroad

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin could meet jointly with Japanese counterparts in mid-March. © Reuters
TOKYO -- Washington and Tokyo have begun preparations for U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to visit Japan as early as mid-March to meet their Japanese counterparts.