US to transform US Forces Japan into Joint Forces HQ
Japan offered nuclear deterrents
In a landmark decision, the United States will transform US Forces Japan into a Joint Forces Headquarters. This new structure will report directly to the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, as disclosed by US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III following a high-profile two-plus-two ministerial meeting in Tokyo on July 28, 2024.
The meeting, which included US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, and Defence Minister Minoru Kihara, marked a significant step in modernising the US-Japan military alliance.
“This is a historic decision to update our command structure to address current and future challenges better,” Austin said in a press briefing.
US Forces Japan will now operate as a Joint Forces Headquarters, led by a three-star officer, with expanded missions and operational responsibilities.
The newly established Joint Forces Headquarters will function as a counterpart to Japan’s Japan Self-Defence Forces Joint Operations Command, a change described by Austin as the most significant evolution in US Forces Japan’s history and a major enhancement in US-Japan military relations over the past 70 years.
Austin emphasised that the upgrade aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation and enhance operational effectiveness. The discussions also covered strategies to bolster presence in Japan’s Southwest Islands and reaffirmed commitments to cybersecurity, intelligence sharing, and joint military exercises.
Missile production
In a joint statement from the Security Consultative Committee, officials highlighted plans to increase production capacity for advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, and Patriot advanced capability-3 missile segment enhancement missiles.
The meetings also featured a groundbreaking discussion on extended deterrence, with Austin reaffirming the US commitment to defending Japan with a full spectrum of capabilities, including nuclear deterrents.
This session addressed regional security concerns such as North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, China’s expanding nuclear arsenal, and Russia’s arms transfers to North Korea.
Austin concluded that the discussions in Tokyo were extraordinarily successful, reinforcing the alliance’s capability to deter and respond to threats in the Indo-Pacific region and uphold a rules-based international order.
“The agreements reached today will solidify the US-Japan alliance as a cornerstone of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” Austin said.
Featured image: (L-R) US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Tokyo on July 28, 2024. Credit: US State Department
