Washington, April 23 — Strengthening the U.S. military footprint and strategic posture in Japan is a top priority for the Department of Defense as Washington works to reinforce deterrence in the Indo-Pacific amid China’s growing influence, a senior Pentagon official told Congress. The comments were reported by Kyodo News and come as the U.S. seeks closer coordination with regional allies.
John Noh, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, told the House Armed Services Committee that while the United States remains committed to security in the region, it cannot carry the burden alone. He emphasized that maintaining a favorable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific is also in the interest of U.S. allies and partners, and that they must do more to share responsibilities.
Noh said the Pentagon is pressing allies and partners to play a more active role in collective defence and to contribute more financially to the shared security posture. He called on wealthy and capable partners to increase defense spending, pointing to a target near a global standard of 3.5 percent of GDP as a benchmark for sustained contributions.
As part of its regional strategy, the Pentagon is outlining plans for a robust denial defence along the first island chain off China’s coast, a zone that encompasses Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. The approach is intended to make it harder for potential adversaries to project power or alter the regional balance.
Noh praised Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s stated commitment to bolster Japan’s own defenses but cautioned that further steps are required to achieve the desired regional security posture. He said work remains to be done to fully align capabilities and burden-sharing among partners.
The official remarks underscore a broader U.S. effort to deepen military cooperation with allies in the Indo-Pacific while encouraging them to assume greater responsibility for regional deterrence. This report is based on syndicated coverage and has been published as received.
