Pentagon to Announce Upgrade of U.S. Forces Japan Command Structure

Tokyo — The Pentagon is set to announce a significant upgrade to U.S. Forces Japan, transitioning it to a Joint Force Headquarters led by a three-star commander. This announcement, expected on Sunday by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, marks a pivotal development in U.S.-Japan defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. The decision follows a summit in April between President Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, where both leaders committed to enhancing their military command and control systems in response to increasing threats from China. The upgrade will shift key responsibilities, such as planning exercises and command operations, from Hawaii to Japan, allowing for closer collaboration between U.S. and Japanese forces. This transformation is seen as a critical step in strengthening the operational capabilities of U.S. Forces Japan, which will now work in conjunction with Japan's updated Joint Operations Command. Defense officials have emphasized that this change is a "transformative" move, akin to the integrated command structure seen in U.S. Forces Korea. Since the April summit, the Pentagon has been actively working on the implementation of this upgrade, with Adm. Samuel Paparo, the new commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, playing a key role in the planning process. However, officials caution that this announcement is merely the beginning of a broader transition, with ongoing discussions needed in Tokyo and with Congress to finalize the details of the upgraded command structure.