U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held his first face-to-face meeting with Japanese Defense Minister Kenta Nakatani in Tokyo and stated, "Japan is an essential partner in deterring China's military aggression."
According to local media such as Kyodo News and NHK on the 30th, Secretary Hegseth said in his opening remarks at the U.S.-Japan Defense Ministers' meeting held at the Japanese Ministry of Defense in Tokyo, "I look forward to discussing the need for credible deterrence in the region, including the Taiwan Strait."
He added, "The United States is moving quickly to rebuild deterrence," and "I hope to learn more deeply whether Japan is similarly investing in strengthening its defense capabilities to secure a free future."
Defense Minister Nakatani responded, "To realize a free and open Indo-Pacific, we want to continue working closely as the most trusted partners."
At the joint press conference after the meeting, he stated, "We confirmed our determination to proceed with a sense of urgency regarding efforts to strengthen each other's defense capabilities and the deterrence and response capabilities of the U.S.-Japan alliance."
However, regarding discussions on defense spending, he avoided specific comments, saying, "I conveyed that it is important to proceed based on Japan's own judgment and responsibility, and we received understanding from the U.S. side." Secretary Hegseth also said, "We did not discuss specific figures," and "I believe Japan will properly judge what capabilities are needed." He added, "The meeting was excellent," and "It is clear that the alliance is the cornerstone of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region."
Regarding the establishment of the U.S. Forces Japan Joint Command, Secretary Hegseth said, "I would like to announce that the first phase has begun," and "We are reorganizing it into a command capable of fighting." The U.S. Forces Japan Joint Command is an organization promoted by the U.S. to strengthen command functions in line with Japan's establishment of an integrated operations command to oversee the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces.
According to Kyodo News, both sides agreed to start early joint production of the U.S. medium-range air-to-air missile AMRAAM and also agreed to expand security cooperation in the space and cyber domains.
The meeting lasted about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
