Japan, US vow ‘unshaken’ defence alliance despite Trump’s pivot from Asia
‘We talk about America first, yes, but it doesn’t mean America alone,’ Pentagon chief Hegseth tells Japanese Defence Minister Koizumi
“We confirmed that the Japan-US alliance remains completely unshaken and that both countries are cooperating closely,” Koizumi told reporters.
Koizumi brushed off concerns about the Trump administration’s future involvement in the region, even as it has designated the western hemisphere as its top priority.
Among other points, he said both sides agreed to prioritise expanding the presence of their forces in the Nansei island chain – which includes Okinawa and stretches towards Taiwan – to conduct more practical joint exercises and to boost cooperation in the defence industrial base.
Koizumi suggested he discussed major security issues with Hegseth, but refrained from elaborating, including on whether he spoke about China.