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U.S. Department of War·

Readout of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's Meeting with Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjirō Koizumi

  • Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met with Japan's Minister of Defense Shinjirō Koizumi in the Philippines.
  • Leaders reaffirmed the U.S.-Japan Alliance's role in preserving Pacific peace & stability.
  • Discussions emphasized increased defense investment & strategic alignment for effective denial defense in the First Island Chain.
  • Both leaders agreed to enhance deterrence through improved bilateral access, presence, & realistic training including live fire exercises.
  • An agreement was reached to accelerate agile operations via flexible facility use & distributed operations rehearsals.
  • Hegseth welcomed Japan's defense industrial capacity efforts, & both committed to close coordination on critical munitions production.