Japan's Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro has met with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is now visiting Japan, for the first time since assuming his post.

The talks began at the Japanese Defense Ministry in Tokyo on Wednesday at about 10:30 a.m. and lasted approximately one hour. The meeting followed a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae and US President Donald Trump in Tokyo the day before.

The two are thought to have discussed the regional security environment, along with ways to further strengthen deterrence and response capabilities of the bilateral alliance.

Koizumi was also likely to have shared with Hegseth the government's plan for a fundamental boost of the country's defense capabilities.

The plan includes a review of three national security documents, including the National Security Strategy, with the goal of revising them by the end of next year.

Koizumi was apparently hoping to use the talks to establish trust with Hegseth and build a personal relationship.