Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reviews Japanese troops alongside his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi, at Camp Ichigaya in Tokyo, Oct. 29, 2025. (Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes)
CAMP ICHIGAYA, Tokyo — U.S. Forces Japan has all the personnel it needs to become a joint force headquarters and is ready for the next phase of its reorganization, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said after meeting his Japanese counterpart here Wednesday.
“This important change will improve our warfighting capabilities, our lethality and our readiness,” Hegseth told reporters at the headquarters of Japan’s Ministry of Defense.
“All phase one personnel are in place, and we are ready to begin phase two shortly,” he said after meeting new Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.
USFJ’s upgrade is part of the allies’ response to a growing Chinese military. Beijing has built the world’s largest navy and routinely transits the waters around Japan, sometimes alongside Russian naval vessels.
Along with increasing the size of its defense budget, Japan has positioned missiles on its southwest islands, which are at risk of attack in any attempt by China to reclaim nearby Taiwan.
“China’s unprecedented military buildup and its aggressive military actions speak for themselves,” Hegseth said alongside Koizumi at Ichigaya.
The first steps to restructure the command from a liaison organization to one integrated for operations with its Japanese counterparts were announced by Hegseth during his first visit to Tokyo as defense secretary in March. His predecessor, Lloyd Austin, announced USFJ’s restructuring in July 2024.
“Moving from a headquarters primarily charged with an alliance management mission to one that, in time, will integrate and synchronize operations that span the spectrum of operations from humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and armed conflict is a monumental task,” USFJ commander Air Force Lt. Gen. Stephen Jost wrote in an editorial for the Asahi newspaper in June.
To strengthen their alliance, the United States and Japan must continue building strong, lethal, combat-credible forces, Hegseth said.
“There’s no way to replace hard power,” he said.
Japan’s commitment to spend more money on defense is an important step, Hegseth said.
“To increase our strength, we are going to invest now and invest quickly while we still have time,” he said.
The former Fox News host spoke to around 6,000 troops aboard the USS George Washington aircraft carrier Tuesday at Yokosuka Naval Base, homeport of the U.S. 7th Fleet in nearby Kanagawa prefecture, ahead of President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
That morning, Trump and Takaichi signed agreements on defense and critical minerals.
American and Japanese troops standing shoulder to shoulder at Yokosuka were a reminder of the strength and depth of the alliance, Hegseth said at Ichigaya.
The 55,000 U.S. troops in Japan alongside Japanese self-defense forces stand ready to defend both nations, he said.
The defense ministers will take steps to ensure U.S. and Japanese troops have what they need to train, fight and win, Hegseth added.
Koizumi noted Takaichi’s remarks a day earlier — that the U.S.-Japan partnership is the world’s greatest alliance and that she would work to strengthen both countries.
“Secretary Hegseth and I share the responsibilities for the implementation,” he said.
During an hourlong meeting, the pair discussed the blueprint for the future of the alliance, Koizumi said. Improving U.S.-Japan command and control and expanding their military presence in the southwest of the country is essential, he said.
Hegseth, who arrived in Japan on Tuesday, is next slated to join Trump in South Korea for the final leg of his Asia trip.
