New US military headquarters in Tokyo to deal with China
The United States is set to unveil a major military restructuring in Asia, with the establishment of a new command in Tokyo to bolster ties with Japan amidst increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are scheduled to meet with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Minister Minoru Kihara to discuss the shift of U.S. forces in Japan. The announcement will involve reconstituting U.S. Forces Japan as a Joint Force Headquarters, operating under the command of U.S. INDOPACOM.
Japan, responding to escalating threats in the region such as North Korean missile tests and China’s expanding military ambitions, has been seeking to establish a joint headquarters to enhance coordination with U.S. forces. While Japan had hoped for a four-star general to lead the new command, a three-star general will assume control.
The talks between the U.S. and Japan will address “extended deterrence,” the strategy of deploying nuclear forces to deter attacks on allies, according to a U.S. official.
With an existing U.S. military base hosting 54,000 American troops, numerous aircraft, and a forward-deployed carrier strike group in Japan, the new command will facilitate closer cooperation between the two nations. Japan has also committed to doubling defense spending from 1% to 2% of GDP to bolster deterrence against China and North Korea.
President Biden’s administration has been striving to enhance collaboration between Japan and South Korea, another key U.S. ally in the region, amid historical tensions between the two countries. The recent signing of an agreement to “institutionalize” trilateral cooperation signals a step towards strengthening partnerships, including the sharing of real-time North Korean missile information and increased joint military exercises.
“This memorandum enhances cooperation between Japan, the United States, and South Korea, cementing our partnership regardless of shifting international dynamics,” Kihara stated after the agreement was finalized.
