日米防衛相、３月下旬にも会談　ヘグセス氏の来日調整

　日米両政府は、中谷元防衛相とヘグセス国防長官の会談を早ければ３月下旬にも東京都内で行う方向で調整に入った。日米同盟の抑止力・対処力強化の重要性を共有し、自衛隊と米軍の指揮統制連携の向上などについて協議する見通しだ。
　日本政府関係者が１２日、明らかにした。ヘグセス氏は来日前後に東アジア周辺を訪問する可能性もあり、日程は流動的。日本の国会日程も踏まえて具体的な日取りを詰める。（2025/02/12-18:56）

The Japanese and U.S. governments are coordinating to hold a meeting between their defense chiefs in Tokyo as early as late March, it was learned Wednesday.
   Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are expected to reaffirm the importance of strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance and discuss ways to improve command and control coordination between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military.
   A specific schedule for the Nakatani-Hegseth meeting will be decided by taking into account the Diet proceedings in Japan and the possibility of Hegseth visiting other parts of or around East Asia before or after visiting Japan, a Japanese government source said.
   Nakatani and Hegseth had phone talks on Jan. 31, and the possible face-to-face meeting will be their first.
   Following last week's summit between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump, the defense chiefs are expected to reaffirm close security cooperation and exchange views on an early "two-plus-two meeting" of the two countries' defense and foreign ministers.