Hegseth calls Japan indispensable in the face of Chinese aggression

TOKYO (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called Japan on Sunday an "indispensable partner" in deterring growing Chinese assertiveness in the region and announced upgrading the U.S. military command in Japan to a new "war-fighting headquarters."

Hegseth, who is on his first Asia trip with Japan as his second stop, also stressed the need for both countries to do more to accelerate the strengthening of their military capability as the region faces China’s assertive military actions and a possible Taiwan emergency.

“Japan is our indispensable partner in deterring Communist Chinese military aggression,” Hegseth said at the beginning of his talks with Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani in Tokyo. "The US is moving fast, as you know, to reestablish deterrence in this region and around the world."

His comments come as an assurance at a time when Japan has been worried about how U.S. engagement in the region may change under President Donald Trump's “America First” policy, Japanese defense officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity, citing protocol. Trump has also threatened to impose trade tariffs on Japan, a key U.S. ally, sparking more concern.

The two sides agreed to accelerate plans to jointly develop and produce missiles such as Advanced Medium-Range Air to Air Missiles, or MRAAM, and consider producing SM-6 surface-to-air missiles, to help ease a shortage of munitions, Nakatani said. The ministers also agreed to speed up the process involving the maintenance of U.S. warships and warplanes in Japan to strengthen and complement Japanese and U.S. defense industries.

Japan and the U.S. decided in July to upgrade the command and control of the Japanese military as well as U.S. forces in the East Asian country, under the Biden administration, a major structural change aimed at bolstering joint operational and response capabilities. Japan is home to more than 50,000 U.S. troops.

Tokyo last week launched the Japan Joint Operations Command, or JJOC, whose mission is to coordinate Japanese Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces, in a significant action to further strengthen capabilities to respond to contingencies and better cooperate with the U.S.

Hegseth announced Sunday the upgrading of its current command, U.S. Forces Japan, by placing a unified operational commander to function as a joint force headquarters to liaise with its Japanese counterpart to serve as “war-fighting headquarters” to bolster speed and capability of their troops’ joint operations.

The Pentagon chief said the reorganization of U.S. troops is a step to better prepare for a possible conflict. America and Japan both work for peace, but “we must be prepared,” he said.

The Japanese defense officials say they are not expecting a significant change in their responsibilities or an increase in U.S. troops in Japan.

Hegseth and Nakatani told a joint news conference that they have also agreed on the need to beef up Japan’s defense posture on the Southwestern islands, which are in critical locations along the disputed areas in the East China Sea and near Taiwan to further step up deterrence against China.

He stressed the need to have “sustaining, robust, ready and credible deterrence” in the Indo-Pacific, including across the Taiwan Strait, as “Japan would be on the frontlines of any contingency we might face in the western Pacific.”

China claims Taiwan as its own territory. The U.S. is obligated under a 1979 law to provide Taiwan with sufficient military hardware and technology to deter invasion, and its arm sales to Taiwan have always drawn strong opposition from Beijing.

On Saturday, he joined the U.S.-Japan joint memorial to honor the war dead in the Battle of Iwo Jima as they marked the 80th anniversary of the end of one of the fiercest battles of World War II, praising the strong alliance between the former enemies.

Before landing in Japan, Hegseth stopped in the Philippines where he also ensured Trump’s commitment to step up ties with the Southeast Asian country that faces maritime disputes with Beijing.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gives his opening speech at the beginning of his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the prime minister's office in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Stanislav Kogiku/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, center left, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the prime minister's office in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Stanislav Kogiku/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, left, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the prime minister's office in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Stanislav Kogiku/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, left, gives his opening speech at the beginning of his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the prime minister's office in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Stanislav Kogiku/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, left, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the prime minister's office in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Stanislav Kogiku/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, right, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attend a joint news conference at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, right, and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, second left, meet at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani speaks with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, unseen, during their meeting at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks with Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani during their meeting at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, right, and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shake hands while posing for photographs prior to their meeting at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, right, and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth meet at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, center, and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, foreground, react after reviewing an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, left, and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, right, review an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, left, and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, right, review an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, right, and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth review an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, left, and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth review an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A decision on the future of the tush push has been pushed until next month.

NFL team owners had been set to vote Tuesday on Green Bay’s proposal to ban the play that’s helped the Philadelphia Eagles win one Super Bowl and reach another, but it was tabled until May.

Team owners approved modifying the kickoff rule, expanding replay assist, revising overtime rules, along with other changes.

Postponing the tush push vote means the debate will continue while teams gather more information. Proponents of the play and those who oppose it presented strong arguments while the league's medical experts expressed safety concerns.

NFL Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay stressed the issues surrounding the play extend beyond safety because there's not enough data to indicate it's dangerous. The league already has said no injuries have been reported on a tush push.

“There are definitely some people that have health and safety concerns, but there’s just as many people that have football concerns,” McKay said. “So I wouldn’t say it was because of one particular health and safety video or discussion. It was much more about the play, the aesthetics of the play, is it part of what football has been traditionally, or is it more of a rugby play? All those types of discussions. Health and safety is still there because of potential but I wouldn’t go beyond that.”

The league prohibited pushing or pulling a player before a rule change in 2004. McKay said the Packers asked to pull the proposal so they could reintroduce the previous language, study it, and bring it up for discussion for a vote at the May meetings.

It takes 24 of 32 votes to approve rule changes.

“It went to many different directions beyond health and safety,” McKay said of the 30 to 40-minute conversation. “Just the traditional-ness of the play, the idea that you could push another player, the idea that we prohibit pushing on the defense but we don’t prohibit it on the offense. It went in all those directions.”

As for changes that did pass, regular-season overtime rules now will match those in the playoffs and both teams will have a chance to get a possession even if the offense scores a touchdown on the opening drive. The proposal was amended to make overtime 10 minutes, not 15 minutes.

Owners also approved a proposal from the NFL Competition Committee to allow replay assist to consult on-field officials to overrule objective calls such as facemask penalties, whether there was forcible contact to the head or neck area, horse-collar tackles or tripping if there was “clear and obvious” evidence that a foul didn’t occur. Replay also would be able to overturn a roughing-the-kicker or running-into-the-kicker penalty if video showed the defender made contact with the ball.

Replay assist could wipe out a foul only if it was incorrectly called, but it will not be used to throw a flag if a penalty wasn't called.

The dynamic kickoff rule becomes permanent, with touchbacks moving to the 35-yard line instead of the 30.

Pittsburgh's proposal to allow teams to have one video or phone call with no more than five prospective unrestricted free agents during the two-day negotiation period was approved. Teams now can make travel arrangements with such players upon agreeing to terms.

Also, owners approved a rule to permit clubs to prepare kicking footballs (“K-Balls”) before game day, similar to the process permitted for game footballs.

Detroit's proposal for playoff seeding to be based on winning percentage was also tabled for May. The proposal to stop automatic first downs from being awarded on defensive holding and illegal contact penalties didn't pass.

Philadelphia’s version of the quarterback sneak sparked the most intense discussions.

Bills coach Sean McDermott was among those leading the push to get rid of it, even though Buffalo used it more than any team other than the Eagles.

“I feel where I’m most concerned is, even though there is not significant data out there to this point, my biggest concern is the health and safety of the players, first and foremost,” McDermott said Monday. “It’s two things. It’s force, added force, No. 1, and then the posture of the players, being asked to execute that type of play, that’s where my concern comes in. ... I’m not a doctor. I’m not going to get too deep into that situation there, in terms of how much data, how much sample. I don’t think that’s really always the best way to go. There is other data out there that suggests when you’re in a posture like we’re talking about, that can lead to serious injury. I think being responsible and proactive in that regard is the right way to go.”

The Eagles began using the play in short-yardage situations in 2022. Two or three players line up behind quarterback Jalen Hurts and push him forward. Several other teams including the Bills began using it, but no team has matched Philadelphia’s success rate.

“Tough play to stop but then you’re listening to that and the medical side and you probably could go either way with it,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, whose team lost 40-22 to the Eagles in the Super Bowl. “But I would say if it’s putting a player in a bad position, then you probably have to do something about it. But if it’s not, it’s a heck of a play.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

FILE - Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) lines up for the goal line Tush Push play during the NFL championship playoff football game against the Washington Commanders, Jan. 26, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola, File)