Japan and the US have agreed to expand joint defence production and military activity in Japan’s southwest, amid heightened regional tensions with China.
The agreement followed talks in Washington between Shinjiro Koizumi and Pete Hegseth, reaffirming the strength of the Japan–US alliance in an increasingly severe security environment.
Key developments
• Joint production to increase for air-to-air missiles and surface-to-air interceptors
• Expanded and more advanced bilateral military drills, including in the southwest
• Deeper cooperation on defence supply chains and critical minerals
• Focus on Okinawa, a strategic hub hosting most US forces in Japan
Tensions have risen since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested Japan could act if China attacked Taiwan, prompting Chinese export restrictions on dual-use items.
Japan has also approved a record nine trillion yen defence budget, a move praised by Hegseth as pragmatic and aligned with shared national interests.
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