July 29, 2024
This will be the most significant change to US Forces Japan since its creation, and one of the strongest improvements in our military ties with Japan in 70 years.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a joint press conference with Secretary of State Antony Blinken after a meeting with their Japanese counterparts, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa.
Why It Matters: The United States will upgrade its current military footprint in Japan to a “joint force headquarters.” The move comes amid threats to the stability of the Asian region, such as “North Korea’s destabilizing activities in the region, including its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs; China’s expansion of its nuclear arsenal; and Russia’s unlawful arms transfers with North Korea” (U.S. Dept. of Defense). Secretary Blinken will stay in the region for the next several days. U.S. Defense Secretary Austin said, “Japan’s new Joint Operations Command will further allow our forces to work together more closely than ever. And these new operational capabilities and responsibilities will advance our collective deterrence.”
Read More: US to revamp military forces in Japan in ‘historic’ move as regional tensions mount (CNN)
U.S. Intends to Reconstitute U.S. Forces Japan as Joint Forces Headquarters (U.S. Dept. of Defense)
by Stephanie Wagner, based in Florida
