Overview
- At Pentagon talks, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi made expanded, realistic joint training around the Nansei islands and across the first island chain a top priority.
- The ministers agreed to scale up joint missile production, including a significant boost to SM-3 Block IIA output, and to expand maintenance and repair cooperation for U.S. ships and aircraft.
- Both sides pledged tighter supply-chain coordination, including on critical minerals, following Chinese export restrictions and other economic pressure on Tokyo.
- Tokyo and Washington will grow their presence and conduct more sophisticated drills in waters southwest of Japan, underscoring Okinawa’s strategic role.
- Command-and-control reforms continue, with U.S. Forces Japan moving toward a joint warfighting headquarters and nominations to split USFJ and Fifth Air Force awaiting Senate action as timelines remain unsettled.