The defence chiefs of Japan and the United States on Thursday agreed that the bilateral alliance is “unshaken” and pledged to reinforce its deterrence capabilities amid concerns in Asia that Washington’s focus is shifting from the region.
Following his meeting with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon near Washington, Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said he was reassured that the administration of President Donald Trump remains committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
“We confirmed that the Japan-US alliance remains completely unshaken and that both countries are cooperating closely,” Koizumi told reporters.
Koizumi brushed off concerns about the Trump administration’s future involvement in the region, even as it has designated the western hemisphere as its top priority.
Among other points, he said both sides agreed to prioritise expanding the presence of their forces in the Nansei island chain – which includes Okinawa and stretches towards Taiwan – to conduct more practical joint exercises and to boost cooperation in the defence industrial base.
Koizumi suggested he discussed major security issues with Hegseth, but refrained from elaborating, including on whether he spoke about China.
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