Japan, South Korea eye defense cooperation to complement US deterrence

South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, left, shakes hands with Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi in Yokosuka on Jan. 30. (Pool via Reuters)

RYOTA OGATA

January 31, 2026 07:45 JST

TOKYO -- Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met with South Korean counterpart Ahn Gyu-back in Yokosuka on Friday, as the two U.S. allies eye both bilateral and trilateral cooperation to shore up security.