U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth praised the strong friendship and trust between the United States and Japan during a memorial service on Iwo Jima, honoring those who lost their lives in a pivotal World War II battle.
Hegseth’s visit to Japan, his second stop after the Philippines on his first trip to Asia, comes amid growing tensions in the region. China’s increasing assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea and threats from President Donald Trump to impose trade tariffs on China have heightened geopolitical concerns, as Japan remains a key U.S. ally.
Hegseth arrived on Iwo Jima, now known as Iwoto, where American and Japanese soldiers clashed in one of the war’s most intense battles. He participated in the Reunion of Honor ceremony alongside surviving American veterans, grieving Japanese families, and high-ranking officials, including Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
“Iwo Jima represents our common warrior spirit, our mutual dedication to our nations, and our collective respect for the brave men who came before us,” Hegseth said during the ceremony, standing before the cenotaph established in 1985 to honor their first joint memorial.
“The U.S.-Japan alliance stands as a testament to how former enemies have become steadfast friends,” Hegseth stated. “It has been, and continues to be, the foundation of freedom, prosperity, security, and peace in the Indo-Pacific region.”
He acknowledged that while most of the soldiers who fought on Iwo Jima are no longer alive, their honored memory endures. Hegseth also expressed gratitude to the six veterans, all around 100 years old, who attended the memorial.
These veterans, with the support of service members, slowly approached the cenotaph to pay their respects to the Marines and sailors who died there. Charles Cram, a Navy corpsman who was wounded and recognized for his bravery, saluted the memorial and gently touched the wreath of red, blue, and white flowers, joined by the others in tribute.
Cram, who landed on Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945, recalled spending his first night alone in a foxhole, overwhelmed by fear. A few days later, while checking on a fellow Marine, he was shot in the leg by a Japanese sniper and was evacuated. By that time, he had lost nearly all of the 250 Marines he had landed with.
“I felt a deep sadness in my heart, realizing this is one of the tragic futility of war,” said 99-year-old Charles Cram during his first return to Iwo Jima since the battle.
As a gesture of reconciliation, Cram brought a flag he had taken from a Japanese soldier and handed it to a Japanese official at the ceremony, expressing his hope that it would be returned to the soldier’s family.
Recent surveys indicate that Japanese people feel a stronger connection to the U.S. than to any other nation. Most Americans and Japanese alive today were born after Japan’s surrender in August 1945.
With growing threats from China, North Korea, and Russia, Japan has been rapidly expanding its military capabilities and strengthening its partnership with the U.S. military.
On Sunday, Hegseth is scheduled to meet with Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani in Tokyo to discuss ways to further strengthen the alliance.
“We must never forget that the peace and prosperity we enjoy today are the result of the noble sacrifices made by those who died in the war and the tireless efforts of people over the past 80 years since the war’s end,” said Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who became the first serving Japanese prime minister to attend the joint Iwo Jima memorial.
The 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima is famously remembered for the iconic photo of six Marines raising the U.S. flag over Mount Suribachi, captured 80 years ago.
From February 19 to March 26, 1945, around 70,000 American troops fought on Iwo Jima as part of an effort to secure a crucial strategic location to advance toward mainland Japan. The battle resulted in the deaths of nearly 7,000 Marines and approximately 20,000 Japanese soldiers. More than half of the Japanese soldiers who fought there have never been accounted for.