Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to sailors at Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada, Oct. 19, 2025. (Madelyn Keech/U.S. Air Force)
TOKYO — Pete Hegseth may make a second trip to Japan as defense secretary next week to meet with the country’s new defense minister.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi confirmed Friday at a news conference in Tokyo that plans for a meetup are underway.
“We are currently making detailed arrangements regarding Secretary Hegseth’s visit to Japan and the Japan-U.S. Defense Ministers’ Meeting,” he told reporters. “Personally, I would like to have an opportunity to meet with Secretary Hegseth as soon as possible to further develop the Japan-U.S. alliance, and I would like to build a strong personal relationship of trust with him.”
Koizumi provided no further details. Kyodo News, citing anonymous sources, reported Thursday that the meeting is being planned for Wednesday.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to questions emailed early Friday.
Koizumi is expected to brief Hegseth on Japan’s plans to increase its defense budget and revise security policy, Kyodo reported.
Japan’s newly sworn-in defense minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, inspects the Ground Self-Defense Force honor guard at Camp Asaka in Tokyo, Oct. 23, 2025. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)
Japan is in the process of doubling its defense budget to 2% of gross domestic product and developing a counterstrike capability with long-range missiles.
The move comes as Tokyo faces Beijing’s rapid military buildup, growing threats to Taiwan and territorial disputes in the South and East China seas.
Hegseth made his first visit to Tokyo as defense secretary in March, when he met then-Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and announced that U.S. Forces Japan had begun reorganizing into a warfighting headquarters better equipped to coordinate with Japanese forces.
The upcoming meetings would be the first between top civilian defense leaders under Prime Minister Sanae Takichi, who is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump on Tuesday in Tokyo.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Oct. 15 during CNBC’s Invest in American Forum that Trump will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia, visit Japan and then travel to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, summit.
U.S. and Japanese officials are also expected to visit Yokosuka Naval Base near Tokyo and tour the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, the Japan Times reported Oct. 11, citing unnamed government sources.
The carrier, which had left Yokosuka on Sept. 30 to resume its annual patrol, returned to its homeport unexpectedly on Oct. 18.
“We are firmly preparing for President Trump’s visit,” Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said during a press conference in Tokyo on Wednesday. Motegi said he hopes Trump’s first meeting with Takaichi will provide an opportunity to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance.
AloJapan.com