Japanese defence minister to hold talks in Washington on alliance deterrence

Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced that he will embark on a weeklong visit to the United States next week to reinforce the bilateral security alliance amid a rapidly evolving security environment in the Asia-Pacific region.

Koizumi told reporters at a regular press conference that his trip, running from January 12 to January 18, will include a series of high-level engagements with US defence and military officials. He is slated to deliver a keynote speech at the Honolulu Defence Forum in Hawaii on January 12, before proceeding to Los Angeles and then Washington, DC, where he will meet with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on January 15, Caliber.Az reports, citing Japanese media.

“With Secretary Hegseth, I plan to have a frank discussion about the security environment as well as specific efforts to strengthen the alliance’s deterrence and response capabilities further,” Koizumi said, underscoring the central focus of the talks.

The scheduled meeting in Washington will mark the fourth direct exchange between the two defence chiefs since Koizumi assumed office in October 2025, reflecting ongoing cooperation in the face of shared challenges from regional actors such as China and North Korea. Earlier discussions have already tackled issues ranging from regional airspace tensions to joint deterrence efforts.

In Honolulu, Koizumi is also expected to meet with Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, while in Los Angeles he will visit a drone technology company and attend a reception marking the 15th anniversary of Operation Tomodachi, the joint US–Japan relief mission following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

When pressed by reporters about whether he would support recent US actions in Venezuela during his meeting with Hegseth, Koizumi offered a cautious response: “It’s difficult to answer before the meeting.” He added, “It is important for the international community to make diplomatic efforts to restore democracy and stabilize the situation in Venezuela.”

The comment comes against the backdrop of heightened international tensions after the United States launched a military operation in early January that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, drawing widespread global attention and debate over security and legal implications.

Koizumi is scheduled to return to Japan on January 18, concluding a trip aimed at cementing defence collaboration with the United States at a critical geopolitical juncture.

By Vafa Guliyeva