Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi will travel to the United States next week on a week-long visit aimed at reinforcing the US-Japan alliance amid a rapidly deteriorating security environment in the Asia-Pacific region, Japanese media reported on Friday.

Speaking at a press conference in Tokyo, Koizumi said the visit will begin in Hawaii, where he is scheduled to deliver remarks at the Honolulu Defence Forum on Monday. He will then travel to Los Angeles before heading to Washington for high-level talks with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth later in the week. Koizumi is expected to return to Japan on January 18.

According to Kyodo News, Koizumi plans to use the visit to deepen coordination with Washington on regional security challenges and alliance preparedness. “With Secretary Hegseth, I plan to have a frank discussion about the security environment as well as specific efforts to further strengthen the alliance’s deterrence and response capabilities,” the Japanese Defence Minister said.

The upcoming meeting will mark the fourth round of talks between Koizumi and Hegseth since Koizumi assumed office in October last year. Their most recent interaction came in December, when the two ministers held a phone call following an incident in which Chinese military aircraft reportedly locked radar onto Japanese Self-Defence Forces fighter jets over international waters near Okinawa.

While in Hawaii, Koizumi is also scheduled to meet Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command. Discussions are expected to focus on maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific, particularly as China and Russia step up joint military activities near Japan.

Koizumi will then visit Los Angeles, where he plans to tour a drone-related company and attend a reception marking the 15th anniversary of Operation Tomodachi. The operation was a major US-Japan joint humanitarian effort following Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011 and remains a symbol of bilateral cooperation.

Asked whether he would respond if US officials sought Japan’s public support for recent American military actions in Venezuela, Koizumi declined to speculate ahead of the meeting. He stressed that the international community should prioritise diplomatic efforts to restore democracy and stability in Venezuela.

The visit comes against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions. In recent weeks, Japan has voiced strong concern over Chinese military activities, including radar lock-on incidents involving fighter jets and joint patrols by Chinese and Russian bombers near Japanese territory. Koizumi has described such actions as dangerous and beyond what is necessary for safe aircraft operations.

Earlier in December, Koizumi and Hegseth spoke for about 40 minutes by phone, agreeing to maintain close communication to prevent further escalation. They also discussed China’s lack of transparency, including the absence of advance notice regarding military flight training and navigation warnings.

In a statement, the US Department of War said both leaders reaffirmed the importance of the US-Japan Alliance and their shared commitment to deterring aggression in the Asia-Pacific. The statement also highlighted Japan’s efforts to increase defence spending, strengthen military capabilities, and enhance realistic training and joint exercises, particularly in Japan’s southwestern islands.

Koizumi’s US visit underscores Tokyo’s determination to reinforce its alliance with Washington as security challenges intensify across the Indo-Pacific region.