Sey Woon Gong
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Hexeth earlier visited Hawaii and the Philippines, but skipped another key Asian ally, South Korea, where a leadership vacuum following a martial law declaration continues. Seyoon Gong, NPR News, Seoul.
After meeting with Japan's defense minister, Secretary Hegseth stressed the importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance in the Indo-Pacific.
Hexeth confirmed the allies' plan for upgrading the U.S. forces Japan is underway and shrugged off concerns that the plan, which was conceived under the Biden administration, can be canceled as a part of spending cuts. The two defense chiefs also discussed enhancing joint presence in Japanese islets close to Taiwan.