"Strengthening the greatest alliance in the world - the Japanese-US alliance - first and foremost requires improving the structure of mutual command, increasing our joint presence (in the Indo-Pacific region) and intensifying drills," he said, TASS reported.

Koizumi stressed that those were the priorities of the Japanese-US alliance that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the US Armed Forces would implement together.

The new Japanese defense chief pointed out that he and Hegseth had also agreed to step up defense cooperation, including data sharing with allies such as South Korea, Australia and the Philippines.