US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said America is “ready to stand shoulder to shoulder” with Japan, adding that the two countries “stand firmly together” against “aggressive and corrosive actions” from China.
The remarks were made by the Trump official on Sunday, during a joint press conference with Japanese defence minister Gen Nakatani.
Hegseth visited the country this week to attend a memorial ceremony on the island of Iwo Jima – marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War – and to discuss bilateral security arrangements.
