The United States is set to establish a joint command for its forces stationed in Japan to improve coordination with Tokyo amid the "deteriorating security environment" in the region, according to a report by Nikkei, citing sources, according to Report, which cites Nikkei.
The announcement is expected to be made in a joint statement following the "2+2" meeting of foreign and defense ministers in the Japanese capital. The new structure will assume operational command of the 55,000 American military personnel in Japan, a role currently held by the US Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii, which has a 19-hour time difference with Tokyo.
The joint command of US forces in Japan will mirror the Japanese joint command, set to be launched by April 2025, which will oversee the country's Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces. The establishment of these command structures within both the US military and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces aims to enhance joint exercise planning during peacetime and joint operations in the event of conflicts, while maintaining separate command chains for American and Japanese military personnel.