WASHINGTON, Jan 16 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- The defence chiefs of Japan and the United States on Thursday agreed to reinforce the deterrence and response capabilities of the bilateral alliance amid concerns in Asia that Washington's focus is drifting from the region, Kyodo News reported.
"We confirmed that the Japan-US alliance remains completely unshaken and that both countries are cooperating closely," Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters following his meeting with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon.
Koizumi said he was reassured that the United States remains committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, even as President Donald Trump's administration has designated the Western Hemisphere its top priority.
While Trump has downplayed Chinese military activities around Taiwan, his administration is seeking to strengthen its position in North and South America and the surrounding waters, as evidenced by its recent intervention in Venezuela and designs on Greenland.
In some Asian capitals, Trump's increased focus on the Western Hemisphere has prompted concerns about a potential decline in US engagement in the Indo-Pacific, creating a security vacuum in the region as China accelerates its military buildup.
"Our job and our goal here is to continue...to strengthen that in every way possible," Hegseth said as they began talks, referring to the decades-old security alliance.
After welcoming Koizumi in an honour cordon ceremony, Hegseth hailed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's resolve to increase Tokyo's defence spending.
According to Koizumi, Hegseth did not call on Japan to raise its defence spending during their meeting, which lasted about 50 minutes.
Koizumi said he told Hegseth that Japan will do its utmost to beef up its defence capabilities and the alliance.
Hours earlier, Koizumi and Hegseth exercised together in a morning training session with US soldiers in an apparent attempt to demonstrate their personal relationship and the strength of the alliance.
When he met the press in the evening, Koizumi disclosed that he separately had a good meeting with US Vice President JD Vance.
-- BERNAMA-KYODO
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