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U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met in Washington on January 15, 2026, to discuss expanded military cooperation and ongoing command structure in response to growing security challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

At the outset of their meeting, both leaders spoke highly of the strength and durability of the alliance, describing it as a cornerstone of regional stability.

Hegseth told Koizumi the U.S.-Japan partnership remains one of Washington’s most important global relationships. “Our job, our goal here, is to continue that, to strengthen that in every way possible,” Hegseth said.

He praised Japan’s decision last spring to increase defense spending, calling it a critical and appreciated step that reflects Tokyo’s willingness to shoulder a greater share of the alliance’s security responsibilities.

“It’s going to be hard-nosed realism; a practical, common-sense approach that puts both of our vital national interests together and keeps the peace,” Hegseth said, adding that realistic training and exercises between U.S. forces and the Japan Self-Defense Forces help reestablish credible deterrence.

“[We] talk about America first, yes, but it doesn’t mean America alone. It means [working] with our friends [who] are investing [and] standing with us. And that’s how we bring peace through strength around the world [and] here in our hemisphere,” he said.

Great to host Defense Minister Koizumi today at the Pentagon.

Together, as longtime and steadfast allies, we will ensure Peace through Strength. pic.twitter.com/rTG7HJf3UR

— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) January 16, 2026

Joint Training of Defense Chiefs

The day for the two defense leaders began not at the Pentagon, but at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia, where Hegseth and members of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, joined Koizumi and his delegation for an early-morning physical training session.

In his opening remarks later in the day, Koizumi said the joint workout symbolized the close bond between the two countries.

“By Japan demonstrating unwavering results in making every effort [and] the U.S. providing strong support, I was able to truly feel that bond of the alliance this morning,” Koizumi told Hegseth.

The meeting marked the third in-person encounter between the two leaders. They first met during Hegseth’s visit to Japan in October and again shortly afterward in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

USFJ Transformation Moves Forward

A central focus of the talks was the ongoing transformation of U.S. Forces Japan into a joint forces headquarters capable of coordinating operations with Japanese counterparts, planning joint exercises, and defending Japan in the event of hostilities.

Japanese officials have strongly supported the new command structure, which was announced during a visit to Tokyo in July 2024 by then-U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The Trump administration is continuing those plans, though a precise timeline for the transition and the final structure of the headquarters has not yet been made public.

In a readout issued on January 16, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Hegseth and Koizumi “agreed to continue upgrading alliance command-and-control architectures, make bilateral training and exercises more realistic, improve alliance force posture and presence—including in Japan’s Southwest Islands.”

Moves toward that goal are already underway. In December, the administration submitted nominations to separate the long-standing dual-hat command of U.S. Forces Japan and the Fifth Air Force.

Lt. Gen. Stephen F. Jost has been nominated to remain commander of U.S. Forces Japan, while Maj. Gen. Joel L. Carey is set to become head of the Fifth Air Force. For more than six decades, both commands have been led by the same officer. The separation would allow officers from other military services to command USFJ in the future. The Senate has yet to act on either nomination.

Japan’s Parallel Command Reforms

Alongside U.S. changes, Japan is standing up its own Joint Operations Command to unify the branches of the Japan Self-Defense Forces and improve coordination with foreign militaries.

Hegseth visited Tokyo shortly after the command was established and offered U.S. support, saying additional personnel and a larger staff would be added to U.S. Forces Japan.

Command-and-control augmentees arrived at USFJ headquarters last summer as part of what officials described as a multi-phase transition toward a warfighting headquarters.

“The transformation into a warfighting headquarters will streamline decision-making and create more agile and lethal forces, embodying peace through strength through credible deterrence in the Indo-Pacific,” a U.S. Forces Japan spokesperson said recently, adding that, “Ultimately, this transition will enhance unilateral and bilateral readiness to respond to any contingency.”

Regional Security Pressures

The meetings took place against a backdrop of rising tensions in East Asia. In November, Japan’s prime minister suggested Tokyo could become militarily involved if China attacked Taiwan, prompting sharp criticism from Beijing and a reduction in Chinese exports of rare earth materials to Japan.

Tensions escalated further in December after Chinese forces conducted air and sea exercises near Taiwan that U.S. officials said appeared to rehearse a potential quarantine of the island.

Speaking earlier this month at the Honolulu Defense Forum, Koizumi stressed the need for closer defense cooperation among “like-minded” Pacific nations. “Right now, we can see tensions that are on the brink of war across the globe,” Koizumi said.

Following his meeting with Hegseth, Koizumi said he had held “very intensive and in-depth discussions about Japanese and American responses to an increasingly severe security environment.”

On Jan 15 (local time), DM Koizumi, together with JSDF personnel, conducted physical training with @SecWar Hegseth and the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). They deepened their friendship through sweating together in U.S. military-style trainings.💪🇯🇵💪🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/JzNSt3rv4w

— Japan Ministry of Defense/Self-Defense Forces (@ModJapan_en) January 16, 2026