Japan not joining US plan to exclude Chinese firms from telecoms networks

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (right) met Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Tokyo earlier this month. PHOTO: REUTERS

TOKYO (REUTERS) - Japan has told the United States that Tokyo will not, at the moment, join Washington's plan to exclude Chinese firms from telecommunications networks, the Yomiuri newspaper said on Friday (Oct 16), citing several sources.

Japan will take its own steps to respond in case there are worries over security issue, while Tokyo will cooperate with the US, the paper said.

The US State Department published in August an update of a plan called the "Clean Network" calling for telecom companies, cloud service providers, and mobile apps of Chinese origin to be kept out of the US.

The US is pressing allies to bar Huawei from next generation 5G mobile phone networks on security grounds.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned the "Clean Network" plan when he met Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Tokyo earlier this month, the Yomiuri said.

Japan told the US that Tokyo cannot join a framework which excludes a specific nation but will reconsider if there is any change to the current US plan, according to the report.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, the top government spokesman, responded to the Yomiuri report by saying his understanding was there was no exchange of views on the "Clean Network" plan during the meeting between Mr Pompeo and Mr Motegi but the US explained its overall cybersecurity efforts.

"Our nation wants to continue to strengthen cooperation in the area of cybersecurity with the US," Mr Kato said during a news conference on Friday.

Japan will also take steps to secure cybersecurity safety by taking steps to reduce supply chain risks when procuring information and communication equipment, he said.

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