Hegseth meets with Japanese Defense Minister in Tokyo
Third multilateral, cooperation. with Japan and the US. at this Center. We will advance the cooperation. including information sharing, and operational collaboration with such Partners as Osteria the Republic of Korea and the Philippines. In order to maintain. deterrence capabilities. and mitigate the impacts on local communities. We also conquered to continue across Europe, working together between Japan and the US for the steady implementation of the realignments of the US forces in Japan. such as the construction of the FEMA replacement. facility and a total return of Marine Corps Air Station stemma. The international order is facing the serious challenges in a most CBS security environment. I will communicate with secretary hexes by any means at any possible opportunity. Mr. Secretary who is a former infantry officer himself and put service Members First likewise I take care of each and every self-defense Force personnel and we work with security hexes to pave the way forward. and that the determination which goes in in case of emergency I would strive to complete duties which might put myself in danger as interested by the nation. Thank you, That’s all for me. and, secretary hex system, 4 is used. well, minister of quum, shin. Uh, congratulations. Uh, on your new role as defense minister critical role. It’s been a pleasure spending today with you yesterday with you. And it’s great to be back. back in Tokyo for the second time. Uh, this year demonstrating how important. uh, the United States, Japan Alliance is the minister and I discussed today, the security situation around Japan. and in the region remains as he said, and we agree severe. The threats. we Face are real, and they are urgent. China’s unprecedented military buildup. And its aggressive military actions. speak for themselves. That’s why president Trump’s piece through strength agenda is so important. To strengthen the alliance. We need to continue building strong. Lethal. combat credible forces that are ready to deter war and if necessary fight and fight to win. there’s no way to replace. hard. power. And to that end, I was glad to see alongside president Trump prime minister. takaichi. The commitment to increase, Japan’s defense spending, which is wonderful. It’s an important step forward. And 1 that we hope would be implemented. and believe will be as soon as possible. As a result, through our shared strength, will deter threats. through strength, we will achieve peace. and to increase our strength. We’re going to invest now and invest quickly. while we still have time. We’re going to act. With urgency. and we must act with speed. the minister And I talked about the importance of strengthening readiness. Through Force posture. exercises and training. And during this trip, I had the honor of joining president Trump. Uh, for a visit to The Minister’s hometown. And the USS George Washington. It was deeply inspiring. as we stood shoulder-to-shoulder to watch, us, and Japanese troops. stand. shoulder-to-shoulder as our president and prime minister. stood. shoulder-to-shoulder a reminder of the deck and strength of the alliance Thank you for the warm welcome and the support that The Japanese people show. 55. American troops who alongside Japanese self-defense forces? Deter our adversaries. and stand ready. To defend our 2 countries. we’re going to ensure to continue to take practical steps. to ensure that these troops together. have what they need to train to fight and to win. Our team also provided the minister, an update on the department of Wars, work to upgrade. US forces, Japan to a Joint Force Headquarters. and since we announced the upgrade in Tokyo in March, we have already made significant progress. All Phase 1 Personnel are in place. And we’re ready to begin Phase 2 shortly. this important change will improve our warfighting capabilities. Our lethality and our readiness. Make no mistake about it. our alliance. is critical. to deterring Chinese. military aggression. Responding to Regional contingencies and keeping our country safe. shoulder-to-shoulder with Japan. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our alliance. We will act. practically. Strongly. And with common sense. So I want to thank you again Mr. Minister for your hospitality and your team and, look forward to taking any questions. your lovely press might have just a m Thank you very much. Um, I Questions. Understands that. due to scheduling constraints The time is limited. Those who wish to ask a question, please. wait it to be acknowledged and before asking a question, please, State your affiliation and your name, and clarify to whom your question is intended. First, uh we will take a question from Japanese place. For. I’m from. Vision. I have a question, Mr. To minister. Kumi at the meeting Did you make? an explanation about revision of the National Security? strategy? and other related documents? and achieving the defense spending Target? of 2% of GDP ahead of the original schedule? Then I also have a question to secretary hexes. The you talk about? the necessity to increase? the defense spending then? Did you demand Japan to achieve specific Numerous targets? The first I invite minister. at the meeting we frankly exchanged opinions on the increasingly CBS security environment, and then even at an Ever more rapid Pace in the in Pacific region and we shared our recognition so, with that, I conveyed Our intention to Mr. Secretary. that’s Japan will have a sense of speech. and continue working to further reinforce our defense capabilities and increased the defense spending at our own initiative. as prime minister. Takei stated that I also explained we will take measures to achieve the defense spending Target of 2% of GDP. as set out in the current national security strategy. together with the comprar complimentary budget. within this fiscal year. and we have to begin discussions to other revision of the national. Security strategy and other related documents. this is, continue carrying out. the initiatives to protect the independence and peace of Japan as well as the lives and peaceful lives of Japanese people. at our own initiative. and the most severe and complex Security involvement at the postal era. Thank you. Now, I invite secretary hexes. Well, I very much appreciate. uh, the wide ranging conversation that we had that you would expect amongst friends. I haven’t known the minister all that long, but our countries have known each other. for decades. uh, and had forged a deep relationship together. uh, which we built upon today. So yes, of course we talked about training and capabilities and spending and all the ways. in which each of our countries are committing. to both our individual defense and our mutual defense. It is not. but there was certainly no demands. placed on Japan from the United States. There was a honest conversation about our both of our unwavering commitment. the recognition that there’s urgency. that there’s a Need for Speed. Uh, there’s need to invest both. in our own militaries but then in our capabilities together, to train together to exercise together to work together. So we have nothing but the utmost respect. uh for the minister and the prime ministers investment. uh, in the Japanese military. and the pace at which, uh, they undertake it. Hi. next, a question from the US, press Of the daily signal, Uh, minister koizumi. Uh there are 2 areas. very vital to indo-pacific. security. uh air defense and Maritime security. Could you please share with us your vision for how Japan can play a greater role? in supporting these vital missions of the region? and secretary hex? Uh, yesterday had an extraordinary meeting with, uh, host nation. Prime minister. enthusiastically engaging, our troops, can you share how important that kind of a signal is to our war Fighters and our troops and what it says along with these important meetings of these last couple of days. to The doubters who have questioned the direction in health of alliances. Voicemail please. Maritime in. Are domains are the foundation of cross domain operations, and it is important to increase the capabilities. in these domains. As the ministry of Defense, we have been working to acquire. a 35 Fighters and AML which to be mounted on it. destroyers. and submarines. America. The US government. announced the acceleration of the delivery of Ammon and I believe, this is 1 of the biggest outcomes of the uh, Japan us Summit meeting Then also today’s Japan defense Ministry meeting and this will include the lands capabilities of Japan. In light of the situation. Uh, we are missile capabilities, have been significantly. enhanced in the area of surrounding Japan. I believe it is important to lead until yesterday. and force missile defense capabilities. Up until now. based on the current national security. strategy, we have been steadily working to increase. missile interception capabilities. Then also, under the integrated air defense method. And that integrated. air defense missile. capabilities. Uh, we have been working to build the posture uh, By combining. our missile defense. and counter strategy. uh, to detail missile attacks itself. In China. has been. increasing. its defense. Budget. Constantly increasing defense budgets at high level. without enough transparency. Then also China has been extensively and rapidly. increasing has military capabilities. Continue carefully monitoring the military activities in the area surrounding Japan. And we respond to that. in a calm yet Resolved manner. The security. Areas at an accelerated speech. Carrying out initiatives for the transformation of Defense capabilities. can never be. too quick. although it can be too late. based on the policy laid out by prime minister takaichi regarding the revision of the National Security. strategy and other related document. related documents. we will consider what is necessary to protect the independence and peace. Then also the lives and peaceful Library foods of Japanese. people. without ring. Out. any option. Could you? please? You got the tough question. He’s the natural. I think it comes down to leadership. I think what? president Trump is able to? demonstrate time and time again? Uh, is what? What it looks like to open the aperture and open the art of the possible within a deal and a relationship between countries. and relationships that have been static for too long or stale. He looks at it through interpersonal Dynamics, how he works with people. how he creates a spirit of cooperation. how he tries to pursue peace. how he uses strength to Leverage. into peace. creating opportunities where there wasn’t 1 before. Too many people underestimate. Um, Pride in your own country. Belief in yourself. belief in what you stand for that’s why America first resonates. It’s not because it’s America alone. we’re right here. alongside our partners. But when we take care of ourselves when we’re bold and strong about who we are. And what we believe. it creates opportunities for part Partnerships that are mutually beneficial. that are based on mutual respect. based on history Based on shared values. Uh, and so I don’t we don’t have to stand here and tell Japan what it needs to do. Because we both look out at the world and see the threat of a Chinese military build up and we see the threat to free people and we have to defend our own countries and stand alongside each other. And so I think president Trump does an incredibly good job better than anyone else on planet Earth. of bringing alongside other countries and saying let’s do this together. Let’s find a way to make it happen. Whether it’s exercising together. standing together or forging piece. And I think you saw that on full display in this relationship with the Prime Minister again, a new relationship. but grounded in a clear-eyed realistic View. Of the world. and in recognition that American leadership really matters that if we invest in ourselves if we have that spirit and belief in ourselves it translates into relationships, to make the world a safer. a safer and more peaceful place. this is, The whole is to submit that. so, Okay. secretary Pete hegseth. Meeting with his Japanese counterpart. of course, the name of our game is showing you these Live Events. info as they happen live, we want to make you feel like
We have additional coverage this evening as members of the Trump administration travel through Asia. This time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is meeting with new Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and holding a news conference in Tokyo. This meeting comes after President Trump spoke with US soldiers aboard the USS George Washington in Japan.
New Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, sharing a stage with Trump on the USS George Washington, said Japan was “committed to fundamentally reinforcing its defense capability” and “ready to contribute even more proactively to peace and stability in the region.”
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