Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth agreed on Saturday to deepen bilateral military cooperation in response to China’s increasing regional military coercion. Meeting on the sidelines of a security summit in Singapore, the two leaders affirmed plans to accelerate the joint development and production of Standard Missile-3 Block 2A interceptor missiles and other defense equipment.
They also pledged to strengthen deterrence and response capabilities in the Nansei region of southwestern Japan, a critical area bordering the East China Sea. Defense Minister Koizumi emphasized that defense industry partnership is now one of the most vital pillars of the alliance amid a rising global demand for missiles. Defense Secretary Hegseth welcomed Japan’s recent policy revisions easing arms export restrictions, noting that the move significantly strengthens regional deterrence and peace.
(Via Jiji Press)
