Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III welcomed his Japanese counterpart, Minister of Defense Hamada Yasukazu, to the Pentagon on his first visit to Washington, D.C. since being appointed Minister of Defense.
Secretary Austin reaffirmed the unshakeable U.S. commitment to the defense of Japan and our mutual commitment to strengthening the U.S.-Japan Alliance amid challenges to the rules-based international order.
During the meeting, the two leaders exchanged views on a wide range of regional security and Alliance issues. They confirmed their shared goal to modernize the U.S.-Japan Alliance, bolster integrated deterrence, and further cooperate with like-minded partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.
