Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to Host Japanese Defense Minister Shinjirō Koizumi

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will welcome the Japanese Defense Minister, Shinjirō Koizumi, to the Pentagon in an enhanced honor cordon ceremony at 1:45 p.m. EST on Thursday Jan. 15, 2026.

All journalists desiring to cover the arrival ceremony must obtain a wristband from security screening. Journalists without a Pentagon access badge must go through security screening at the base of the River Entrance Pedestrian Bridge and will be escorted to the arrival ceremony from there. Security screening will begin at approximately 12:15 p.m. EST; have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification. Security screening at this location will close promptly at 1:15 p.m. EST. Journalists with a Pentagon access badge, and who have entered the building prior to 1:30 p.m. EST, may go through security screening at the River Entrance to obtain their wristband; please obtain your wristband at the River Entrance by 1:15 p.m. EST.

All journalists covering the ceremony, including those with a Pentagon access badge, must be in place no later than 1:30 p.m. EST. Once security screening has been initiated at the base of the bridge, all journalists entering the building via the bridge for any reason, including those with a Pentagon facility access card not covering the arrival ceremony, must undergo security screening. Please call 703-697-5131 with any questions.