SECDEF visits Japan during tour around the Pacific Published March 31, 2025 By Senior Airman Jarrett Smith 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth landed at Yokota Air Base, Japan, during his visit to Japan and other military installations across the Pacific, March 30. During his visit, Hegseth met with U.S. and Japanese leaders, coined U.S. military forces during a troop engagement event, and participated in a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. Hegseth's visit to Yokota Air Base is a part of his tour across the pacific, where he plans to visit military installations in Hawaii, Guam, and the Philippines, to meet with senior U.S. military and civilian leadership and participate in a series of bilateral meetings. Engagements from distinguished visitors are a part of ongoing efforts to strengthen alliances and partnerships toward a free and open Indo-Pacific.