* China remains determined to claim sovereignty over international waters in the western Pacific
* Strategic importance of the U.S. alliance with Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines
* Large-deck aircraft carrier an important interment in projecting American seapower
* U.S. Navy not prepared to counter Russian maritime buildup in the eastern Mediterranean
Caption
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Japan’s Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi inspect a guard of honor on October 29, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. (Getty Images)