TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Tuesday he will hold his first in-person meeting with his U.S. counterpart Pete Hegseth in Tokyo during the latter's trip to the country this weekend.

A day before the talks Sunday, Nakatani and Hegseth will visit Iwoto Island to attend a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of a fierce World War II battle between Japan and the United States, the Japanese minister said.

"I look forward to discussing specific efforts to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance's deterrence and response capabilities with Secretary Hegseth," who took office in January following the inauguration of President Donald Trump, Nakatani told a press conference.

Hegseth is on a tour of Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines and Japan. He and Nakatani had affirmed their willingness to meet "at the earliest possible time" during their phone talks in late January, the Japanese Defense Ministry said.

The fighting on Iwoto Island, previously known as Iwojima and located in the Pacific 1,250 kilometers south of Tokyo, lasted about a month after U.S. forces landed in February 1945, leaving about 21,900 Japanese and 7,000 U.S. soldiers dead.