Singapore, May 30 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth agreed Saturday to further deepen the two countries' cooperation over China, which is stepping up military coercion. At a meeting in Singapore, they also affirmed a policy of speeding up joint missile development and production by Japan and the United States. Hegseth welcomed Japan's revision in April of the implementation guidelines on its three principles on defense equipment transfers, which has basically made arms exports possible. The move will strengthen regional deterrence and further contribute to peace and stability, he said. It was the fourth in-person meeting between Koizumi and Hegseth since the Japanese defense chief took office last October. Koizumi briefed Hegseth on Japan's efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities, including plans to revise the country's three key security-related documents--the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy and the Defense Buildup Program-by the end of this year. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]