U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Wednesday called for an early implementation of Japan's plan to increase defence spending, but said he had made no specific demand on the scale of the increase in a meeting with his Japanese counterpart.

President Donald Trump and other senior U.S. leaders are on tour in Asia this week affirming alliances against the backdrop of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in South Korea. Ahead of the conference at Gyeongju,

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fired another shot in his personal war on facial hair in the armed forces. The former Fox News host last month implemented a ban on “beardos” in the U.S. military, despite once begging the right-wing cable network to let him keep his “vacation beard” intact.

U.S. Forces Japan has all the personnel it needs to become a joint force headquarters, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.

President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will meet with Japan’s recently elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and new Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi this week during their visits to Asia.