ENTRE News – The United States (US) will increase its military presence in Japanese territory, one of which is considered to be wary of China’s threat pressure. This was announced by US Minister of Defense Lloyd Austin after bilateral 2+2 negotiations with his colleague, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken with Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense Minister, Yoko Kamikawa and Minoru Kihara.
“The United States will upgrade US Forces Japan to a joint force headquarters with expanded missions and operational responsibilities,” Austin told reporters after the 2+2 talks.
“This will be the most significant change to the US Forces presence in Japan since its creation, and one of the strongest improvements in our military relationship with Japan in 70 years,” Austin added.
In a joint statement by four US and Japanese ministers, it was stated that Uncle Sam’s new military command structure would be implemented in conjunction with Tokyo’s plan to form a joint command of its troops in March 2025. The command will coordinate military operations with Japanese forces, plan joint exercises, and participate in Japan’s defense in the event of war. The move would allow the US to withdraw its troops in Japan from Indo-Pacific Command. Indo-Pacific Command is in the Hawaiian Islands, USA, which is 5,600 kilometers from Japan.
In a joint statement by four ministers, it was stated that the overhaul of US-Japan military cooperation was thought to be closely related to the developing regional security environment, as well as paying attention to various risks of threat pressure from China. In their statement, they also criticized Beijing’s ‘provocative’ behavior in the South China Sea and East China Sea, joint military exercises with Russia, and the rapid increase to the expansion of nuclear weapons.
“Beijing’s foreign policy seeks to reshape the international order to its own advantage at the expense of others,” the ministers said in their statement.
“Such behavior is of serious concern to the Alliance and the entire international community and represents the greatest strategic challenge in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond,” they added.
However, to reporters, Austin claimed the increase in command reflected the allies’ desire to work more closely and effectively. He also denied that it was only based on threats from China. So far there has been no official statement from the Chinese government regarding the allegations in the joint statement by the four US and Japanese ministers.
MoU with South Korea to face North Korean missiles
During his visit to the Asian region, Austin also signed a memorandum of understanding (Mou) between the US, Japan and South Korea to counter the ‘nuclear and missile threat’ of North Korea (North Korea) and other regional security challenges.
The MoU was signed after a trilateral joint meeting between US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, and South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik. The memorandum of understanding is aimed at institutionalizing trilateral defense cooperation to support policy consultations, information sharing and joint exercises.
“Amid the increasingly serious nuclear threat around Japan, it is important to further strengthen extended deterrence. I welcome continued in-depth discussions on this issue,” Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa told reporters at the start of the talks.
Kihara said the agreements in the memorandum on the Trilateral Security Cooperation Framework, which has come into force, include agreements on holding ministerial meetings on a rotating basis every year and activities on sharing factual information about North Korean missiles. The move also comes amid rising tensions in the South China Sea, amid a feud between Chinese and Philippine ships. Tokyo, Washington and Seoul are concerned about China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea. They also called for peace and stability on Taiwan, an island that Beijing considers one of its provinces.
The three ministers, in a joint press statement, also expressed “deep concern over the increasing military and economic cooperation between North Korea and Russia, and pledged to deter the nuclear and missile threats posed by Pyongyang.” In a less explicit reference to China’s assertiveness in the East and South China Seas, they “firmly” oppose any unilateral efforts to change the status quo in Indo-Pacific waters. After leaving Tokyo, Blinken and Austin continued their safari in Asia by visiting the Philippines.