Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his South Korean counterpart Ahn Gyu-back agreed to conduct mutual visits every year during a meeting at the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Yokosuka base in Kanagawa Prefecture. They also pledged to promote exchanges between the Self-Defense Forces and the South Korean military and to cooperate on cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence.
On January 31, 2026, Japanese and South Korean defense ministers held talks at the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Yokosuka base in Kanagawa Prefecture. Shinjiro Koizumi and Ahn Gyu-back agreed to carry out mutual visits annually. Koizumi told reporters after the meeting, “Next time, I will visit South Korea to enhance communication between the two countries’ defense authorities.”
The ministers pledged to foster exchanges between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and South Korea's military, as well as collaboration on advanced technologies including artificial intelligence. They also committed to resuming joint search-and-rescue exercises between the Maritime Self-Defense Force and the South Korean navy, which had been suspended following a 2018 incident where a South Korean vessel directed its radar at a Japanese aircraft.
Additionally, the two sides vowed to advance trilateral cooperation with the United States to address North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. In a joint statement, they reaffirmed their dedication to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of lasting peace. The statement urged discussions between defense authorities on cooperation in areas like AI, unmanned systems, and space.
The meeting marked the first time defense ministers had convened in Yokosuka, Koizumi's hometown. This agreement signals a step toward bolstering security ties between the two neighbors.
