Japan, US to mark 80th anniversary of Iwo Jima battle amid trade tensions

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will attend a memorial service in late March on the Pacific island of Iwo Jima with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth and Gen Nakatani, the Japanese defence minister.

The Japanese side hopes the joint memorial – the first time the most senior government officials of the two nations will commemorate the 1945 battle together – will underline Tokyo’s commitment to the security alliance.

Hegseth, however, is expected to use the visit to request that Japan do more for its own defence.

“I expect the discussions will be about what Japan should do and nothing about what the US will [do] to increase security cooperation,” said Michael Cucek, a professor of politics at the Tokyo campus of Temple University.

“The Japanese side will talk about how great the F-35 is and how wonderful US radar systems are, but I do not expect much beyond that sort of flattery in terms of substance,” he told This Week in Asia. “And Hegseth will be coming with the message that Japan needs to do more to defend itself, a message endorsed by his boss.”

Ishiba is in a difficult position as US President Donald Trump has just confirmed the application of 25 per cent tariffs on imports of aluminium and steel, including from Japan, while yet more tariffs are to come into force against imports of Japanese vehicles from next month, according to Cucek.