WASHINGTON, May 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. and Japanese officials agreed Tuesday to enhance security and defense cooperation following a two-day meeting in Washington.

    In a statement by the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee meeting, the two sides agreed to expand and deepen intelligence cooperation and information sharing "in order to respond more effectively to emerging security challenges."

    The meeting was attended by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma.

    The officials reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the realignment initiatives by U.S. forces in Japan.

    Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, Gates said the United States and Japan finalized a realignment roadmap last year to complete the most comprehensive set of adjustments to the American military posture in the region in more than a generation.

    Japan assured the U.S. this week that it remained "committed to the May 2006 realignment roadmap, as well as the broader alliance transformation agenda," he said.

    The realignment plan, which was signed last year, featured the transferal of 8,000 U.S. marines from the Japanese island of Okinawa to Guam, the relocation of two U.S. air bases in Japan from urban to rural areas, and the realigning of the Japan Self-Defense Forces to complement the U.S. realignments.