Japan Defense Chief to Meet Hegseth in Washington on Thurs.

Tokyo, Jan. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Friday he will visit the United States from Monday through Jan. 18, planning to meet with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington on Thursday local time. Koizumi told a press conference that he hopes to exchange views with Hegseth on the security situation in the Indo-Pacific region and confirm efforts to strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance. This will mark the fourth meeting between the two, including phone talks, since Koizumi took office last October. “I want to demonstrate at home and abroad that the Japan-U.S. alliance is bound by stronger bonds than ever,” Koizumi said at a press conference. The minister also said he hopes to deepen his personal relationship of trust with Hegseth. Koizumi will begin his week-long trip in Hawaii, where he is scheduled to meet with Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, on Monday local time. He will also deliver a speech at the Honolulu Defense Forum, a gathering of defense officials and experts, to express Japan’s determination to play a leading role in promoting peace and stability in the region. He will later travel to Los Angeles to visit a drone-related company and meet with defense industry officials, and then move on to Washington for the talks with Hegseth. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]