Pentagon chief Hegseth says 'warrior' Japan indispensable to deter China

Japan, U.S. defense chiefs hold first in-person meeting in Tokyo

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Pete Hegseth, U.S. secretary of defense, and Gen Nakatani, Japan's defense minister, shake hands prior to their meeting at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, March 30. © Reuters

March 30, 2025 12:12 JST

TOKYO (Reuters) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that Japan was indispensable in tackling Chinese aggression by helping Washington establish a "credible" deterrence in the region, including across the Taiwan Strait.

"We share a warrior ethos that defines our forces," Hegseth told Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani at a meeting in Tokyo.