Overview
- At the Pentagon on Jan. 15, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States will bolster the alliance with Japan “in every way possible.”
- Hegseth emphasized hard-nosed, realistic joint drills in Japan across the first island chain to demonstrate deterrence and keep the peace.
- Hegseth and Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi held a joint physical training session earlier in the day as a symbolic display of alliance strength.
- Koizumi called the partnership “even more solid and unwavering” and highlighted close top-level communication between the two governments.
- Command upgrades are progressing as Washington moves to transform U.S. Forces Japan into a joint headquarters and separate it from Fifth Air Force, with Senate action on key nominations still pending.