Japan’s Minister of Defense Koizumi held his first meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on October 29 and conveyed his intention to strengthen Japan's defense capabilities.

Koizumi Shinjiro, Minister of Defense: We shall strengthen the world's greatest Japan-US alliance with unprecedented speed. The Self-Defense Forces and the US military will work together to tackle this challenge.

During talks with Hegseth, Koizumi said Japan would revise the so-called three security-related documents and bring forward plans to make Japan’s defense spending 2% of the GDP.

At a subsequent press conference, Hegseth emphasized that the security environment surrounding Japan is extremely severe, and that U.S. President Trump's ‘peace through strength’ policy is important for that reason.

Hegseth also said that he is pleased Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has demonstrated her resolve to increase defense spending, and that he expects it to happen promptly.

While many expected that the U.S.-side would request an increase in defense spending during the meeting, Hegseth explained that the US has not made any demands whatsoever of Japan.