Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the articles highlights the ongoing discussions between Japan and the United States regarding Japan's defense spending and military collaboration, particularly in response to regional threats [1][2] - Japan aims to increase its defense budget to 2% of GDP by the fiscal year 2027, while there are calls within the Trump administration for Japan to raise this figure to 3% [1] - The U.S. Secretary of Defense, Hegseth, indicated that both nations are committed to strengthening defense capabilities and have begun collaborative efforts in command and control [2] Group 2 - The establishment of a joint command structure between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and U.S. forces is underway, with Japan recently forming a unified command for its military branches [2] - The U.S. has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a strong deterrent presence in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Taiwan Strait, in light of aggressive actions from China [2] - Both countries have agreed to advance joint production of defense equipment, including a consensus to start producing the AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missile and discussions on incorporating the new SM6 missile into their cooperation [2]