Japan Defense Minister Koizumi Visits Okinawa; Seeks to Bolster Cooperation by Easing Burden of U.S. Bases

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:56 JST, January 8, 2026

Amid the growing importance of defending the Nansei Islands in southwestern Japan, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited Okinawa Prefecture this week as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation with local communities by taking steps to reduce the burden on Okinawa of hosting U.S. bases.

Koizumi met Wednesday with the mayor of Nago — the relocation site for the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan — and the top commander of U.S. forces in Okinawa. It was Koizumi’s second visit to Okinawa since he became defense minister.

“We will persistently urge the U.S. side to address issues such as noise from U.S. military aircraft and strive to minimize the impact on residents,” Koizumi said to Nago Mayor Taketoyo Toguchi when they met in Naha.

Toguchi responded, “It’s important to dispel residents’ concerns and protect their living environment.”

In a meeting with Roger Turner, the top U.S. military official in Okinawa, Koizumi emphasized that “local cooperation and understanding are necessary to maintain and strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance.”

Koizumi also asked that the recurrence of incidents and accidents caused by U.S. military personnel be prevented. Turner replied that they want to live in Okinawa as good neighbors and contribute to the defense of Japan.

Koizumi prioritizes reducing the burden on the local community because he believes that local understanding is essential for strengthening the defense of the Nansei Islands. With the Nago mayoral election scheduled to be announced on Jan. 18 and voting to take place on Jan. 25, Koizumi also appears to be trying to show his support for the local community.

China is stepping up its military activities around the Nansei Islands, prompting the Defense Ministry and the Self-Defense Forces to hurry to strengthen its defense. In December last year, SDF fighter jets were targeted by radar from Chinese military aircraft over international waters off the coast of Okinawa Island.

When the Chinese military conducted military exercises as if encircling Taiwan, Chinese military bombers and fighter jets passed between Okinawa Island and Miyakojima Island and advanced into the Pacific Ocean.

“We’ll continue to carefully explain the situation to the local community and make every effort to reduce the burden,” Koizumi told reporters regarding the strengthening of defense capabilities for the islands.