New U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis visited East Asia for his first foreign trip as the head of the Pentagon. Over the last several days, he visited the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan, meeting with his counterparts in both countries.

Mattis’ visit to the region, amid reports that North Korea has re-started its nuclear reactor, has been characterized as a way to provide reassurance to Tokyo and Seoul. That is precisely what the two countries are expecting from his visit.

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