US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and new Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi held their first in-person talks in Tokyo on Wednesday as Washington and Tokyo strive to strengthen defense cooperation amid China's growing assertiveness and North Korea's advancing military threats.
The meeting came a day after Pyongyang test-fired what it called sea-to-surface strategic cruise missiles in the Yellow Sea, the latest launch that came on the eve of US President Donald Trump's visit to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
A senior US defense official has said that Hegseth and Koizumi plan to discuss increasing defense capabilities, upgrading command and control frameworks, and improving bilateral training and exercises, among others.
Hegseth is on an Asia trip that includes stops in Malaysia, Vietnam and South Korea.
During his two-day visit to South Korea, set to begin Monday, he plans to travel to the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, attend the two countries' annual defense ministerial talks, called the Security Consultative Meeting, and meet with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. (Yonhap)
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