Japan-U.S. Defense Ministers to Meet Next Week: Talks on Strengthening Deterrence

Shinjiro Koizumi, Japanese Minister of Defense, is scheduled to visit the United States for six days and five nights starting January 12, where he will hold talks with Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of Defense (Department of War).

Shinjiro Koizumi, Japanese Minister of Defense. Photo by Yonhap News

At a press conference on January 9, Minister Koizumi announced that he would visit the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii, then travel through Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., where he will meet with Secretary Hegseth on January 15 (local time).

Minister Koizumi stated, "As China intensifies its attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force in the East China Sea and South China Sea and expands its military activities, the security environment surrounding Japan is becoming increasingly severe. I intend to have a candid discussion with Secretary Hegseth to develop concrete responses aimed at strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance."

He added, "We will exchange views on the security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, among other topics, and I hope to demonstrate to both domestic and international audiences our determination, together with the United States, to maintain regional peace and stability."

Previously, on December 12 of last year, following the incident in which a radar lock-on was conducted by a Chinese aircraft carrier-based fighter jet against a Japanese Self-Defense Forces fighter, Minister Koizumi and Secretary Hegseth confirmed their commitment to mutual cooperation during a phone call.