US military to unveil new command in Tokyo aimed at combating China
The United States will announce a major revamp of its military structure in Asia, unveiling a new command in Tokyo as it deepens ties with Japan in response to China’s increased ambition in the region.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are scheduled to hold talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Minister Minoru Kihara on Sunday, according to a report from Reuters, where Austin will announce a shift of U.S. forces in Japan.
"Secretary Austin plans to announce that the United States intends to reconstitute U.S. Forces Japan as a Joint Force Headquarters, reporting to the commander of U.S. INDOPACOM," a U.S. official told Reuters.
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Japan has been looking to establish a new joint headquarters in the country to better coordinate with U.S. forces as it sees growing threats in the region, the report notes, with Japan citing increased missile tests by North Korea and China’s growing military ambitions.
Japan had hoped the new command would be headed by a four-star general, but the U.S. official told Reuters that a three-star general will take control of the new organization.
Talks between the U.S. and Japan Sunday are expected to cover "extended deterrence," the U.S. official said, the term the U.S. uses to describe how it deploys nuclear forces to deter attacks on its allies.
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Japan already hosts a U.S. military base with 54,000 American troops, hundreds of aircraft, and a forward-deployed carrier strike group, the report notes, but the new command will allow for greater cooperation between the two countries. Japan recently committed to double defense spending from 1% of GDP to 2% as it seeks greater deterrence over China and North Korea.
The move also comes as President Biden has looked to increase cooperation between Japan and South Korea, another key U.S. ally in the region. Relations between the two countries have been strained since the early 20th century.
The three nations on Sunday signed an agreement to "institutionalize" trilateral cooperation, according to the report, which will include sharing of real-time North Korean missile information and increased joint-military exercises.
"This memorandum, strengthens the cooperation between Japan, the United States and South Korea, making our partnership unshakable no matter how the international situation changes," Kihara told reporters after the agreement was signed.
The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment. The Pentagon declined to comment.