U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (L) speaks with South Korean Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back (R) and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi as they arrive for a ministerial roundtable during the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on May 30, 2026. Mohd Rasfan/AFP via Getty ImagesAs Japan moves to strengthen its military capabilities amid growing security concerns in the Indo-Pacific, the United States has signaled strong support for Tokyo’s defense buildup, backing plans that include the temporary deployment of U.S. missile systems on Japanese territory and expanded cooperation on missile development and production.Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reached a series of agreements during a meeting on May 30 on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore. The talks underscored deepening military coordination between the two allies amid rising regional tensions and concerns over China’s expanding military influence.
US Backs Japans Defense Buildup, Agrees to Expanded Missile Cooperation
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