Today at 21:04
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Sunday called Japan an indispensable partner in countering Chinese aggression and announced the launch of a plan to modernize the U.S. military command in the country.
This was reported by Reuters.
Hegseth met in Tokyo with Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani.
“Japan is our indispensable partner in deterring Communist China’s military aggression, including through the Taiwan Strait,” the U.S. defense chief said.
Calling Japan “the cornerstone of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region,” he stated that President Donald Trump’s administration would continue to work closely with its key Asian ally.
In July, the White House under then-President Joe Biden announced a major upgrade to the U.S. military command in Japan to deepen coordination with Tokyo’s forces, as both nations identified China as their “greatest strategic challenge.” These changes include appointing a joint operational commander in Japan.
Hegseth’s praise for Japan contrasts with the criticism he directed at European allies in February, telling them they should not assume that the U.S. presence there would last forever.
Japan hosts 50,000 U.S. troops, fighter squadrons, and Washington’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier strike group.
This comes as Japan doubles its military spending, including purchasing longer-range missiles. However, the operational reach of its armed forces remains restricted by its post-World War II constitution.
According to Nakatani, Hegseth and Nakatani agreed to accelerate plans for joint production of AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and explore potential collaboration in manufacturing SM-6 air defense missile systems to address ammunition shortages.
Hegseth said he had asked his Japanese counterpart to grant greater access to Japan’s strategic southwestern islands, located along the edge of the disputed East China Sea near Taiwan.
Earlier, The Washington Post reported that Pete Hegseth had ordered the U.S. military to prioritize deterring China from seizing Taiwan and strengthening national defense by “accepting risk” in Europe and other parts of the world.
Read also: FT: EU Plans Minimal Fines for Apple and Meta to Avoid Provoking Trump
