Overview
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met at the Pentagon and pledged to strengthen the alliance, emphasizing “realistic” training across the first island chain.
- Both governments agreed to expand joint production of air-to-air missiles and surface-to-air interceptors, with Japan highlighting a plan to ramp up SM-3 Block IIA output and broaden maintenance and repair cooperation.
- Tokyo and Washington will increase “more sophisticated and practical” joint drills in Japan’s southwest, including the Nansei/Okinawa area, a focal point for operations near Taiwan.
- Allies said they will deepen supply-chain cooperation, including critical minerals and drone-related components, to reduce vulnerabilities exposed by recent Chinese restrictions.
- The transition of U.S. Forces Japan toward a more operational joint headquarters is progressing without a set timeline, as nominations to split the USFJ and Fifth Air Force commands await Senate action.