Following Beijing’s ban on exports of dual-use items to Japan, Tokyo should consider creating a supply chain for defense equipment that pivots away from China, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi says. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/27/japan/politics/china-free-supply-chain/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shinjirokoizumi #china #defense #rareearths #toshimitsumotegi
Japan plans to deploy medium-range surface-to-air missiles to Okinawa Prefecture’s Yonaguni Island — just 110 km east of Taiwan — by fiscal 2030, defense chief Shinjiro Koizumi said, as tensions with China smolder. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/24/japan/koizumi-japan-missiles-yonaguni-fiscal-2030/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #defense #defenseministry #shinjirokoizumi #missiles #okinawa #yonaguni #china #pla #taiwan #sdf
Japan will invite young and midlevel defense officials from Pacific island countries for around weeklong visits from fiscal 2026, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/24/japan/politics/japan-defense-meet-pacific-island-nations/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shinjirokoizumi #defense
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said there was no misunderstanding between Japan and the United States on the planned return of the site housing the U.S. Futenma base in Okinawa Prefecture. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/21/japan/politics/koizumi-japan-us-futenma-return/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #futenma #okinawa #defenseministry #shinjirokoizumi #us #usbases #usmilitary #usjapanrelations
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi stressed the importance of the rules-based global order at a high-profile defense conference Friday, as concerns over Chinese military moves rise. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/14/japan/politics/shinjiro-koizumi-munich-china/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #defense #defenseministry #germany #munich #china #pla #europe #indopacific #shinjirokoizumi #sdf
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has called the U.S.-Japan alliance “unshakable” after talks with U.S. defense chief Pete Hegseth, but declined to offer specifics about any discussions on China during their meeting. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/16/japan/politics/hegseth-koizumi-meeting-alliance/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shinjirokoizumi #petehegseth #us #usjapanrelations #washington #china #defense #defenseministry
A record 15 countries took part in a New Year's jump training, which simulates island defense moves. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/11/japan/gsdf-new-year-jump-drill/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #gsdf #newyear #chiba #shinjirokoizumi
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi will visit the U.S. next week, with plans to meet U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington on Thursday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/09/japan/politics/koizumi-hegseth-washington/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shinjirokoizumi #petehegseth #us #usjapanrelations #washington #defense
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Wednesday met with Nago Mayor Taketoyo Toguchi to seek local understanding on relocating U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the city. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/08/japan/koizumi-local-understanding-futenma/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #shinjirokoizumi #okinawa #futenma #henoko #us #usmilitary #usbases #usjapanrelations #defense
Japan’s Cabinet has approved a defense budget request exceeding ¥9 trillion for the first time ever, including some ¥100 billion to build a drone “shield” to help defend the country’s southwestern periphery. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/26/japan/japan-defense-spending-record-high/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #defense #budgets #defenseministry #sdf #sanaetakaichi #shinjirokoizumi
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and British Defence Secretary John Healey have shared serious concerns over moves by China. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/18/japan/japan-uk-defense-ministers-talks/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #ukjapanrelations #defense #shinjirokoizumi #johnhealey
China’s increasingly aggressive military actions toward Japan, highlighted by a recent radar lock-on incident, reflect a growing pattern of pressure that Tokyo and its allies must counter with steady vigilance. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/editorials/2025/12/12/chinas-continue-to-test-japans-defenses/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #editorials #chinajapanrelations #china #defense #pla #shinjirokoizumi #defenseministry #donaldtrump #us #taiwan #sanaetakaichi
Japan is taking a “calm and resolute” response in its ongoing dispute with China — a row that grew more heated with last week’s radar incident — as it looks to the international community to help lower the temperature. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/11/japan/politics/japan-china-dispute-diplomacy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #china #pla #japanchinarelations #us #usjapanrelations #donaldtrump #taiwan #defense #shinjirokoizumi
The U.S. has for the first time criticized the Chinese military’s use of radar on Japanese fighter jets last week, as Tokyo refuted Beijing’s claims it had given sufficient advance notice of military drills near Japan. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/10/japan/politics/china-radar-lock-on-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #chinajapanrelations #china #defense #pla #shinjirokoizumi #defenseministry #donaldtrump #us #taiwan #sanaetakaichi
The defense chiefs of Australia and Japan have announced a new “strategic defense” framework as they look to deepen cooperation amid shared concerns about Chinese military activities in the region. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/07/japan/japan-australia-defense-ministers/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #australiajapanrelations #australia #defense #shinjirokoizumi #defenseministry
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is planning to visit the United States next month to hold talks with his U.S. counterpart, Pete Hegseth, government officials have said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/06/japan/politics/koizumi-us-visit-january/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shinjirokoizumi #defense #defenseministry #budgets #us #usjapanrelations #petehegseth
The defense minister’s trip reminded observers of two things: China’s proclivity for overreaction and the challenges facing Japan in a tough neighborhood. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/11/28/japan/koizumis-yonaguni-visit/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #shinjirokoizumi #gsdf #taiwan #china #defense #yonaguni
Japan’s defense minister, visiting a military base close to Taiwan, said plans to deploy missiles to the post were on track as tensions smolder between Tokyo and Beijing over the East Asian island. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/23/japan/japan-deploying-missiles-to-island-near-taiwan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #yonaguni #ishigaki #miyako #okinawa #taiwan #china #usmilitary #shinjirokoizumi #sanaetakaichi #sdf
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is actively using social media and other means to disseminate information on the military movements of countries around Japan and how the Japanese Self-Defense Forces are responding. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/23/japan/politics/defense-chief-koizumi-one-month/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shinjirokoizumi #defense #defenseministry #sdf
Japan and Indonesia have agreed to boost their defense and security ties, opening up opportunities for trilateral cooperation involving Australia following Jakarta’s plan to upgrade a key pact with Canberra. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/18/japan/politics/indonesia-japan-meeting-defense/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #defense #indonesiajapanrelations #shinjirokoizumi #toshimitsumotegi #indonesia #china #sdf #msdf