The United States has announced major overhauls of its military structure in Asia and will establish a new headquarters in Tokyo as it deepens ties with Japan in response to China’s growing ambitions in the region.
Reuters reported that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin are scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Minister Minoru Kihara on Sunday, with Austin expected to announce the relocation of U.S. forces in Japan.
“Defense Secretary Austin is expected to announce his intention to reorganize U.S. forces in Japan as a unified military command reporting to the commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command,” a U.S. official told Reuters.
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Japan is considering setting up a new joint command in the country to strengthen cooperation with the U.S. military, citing growing threats in the region due to increased missile tests by North Korea and China’s growing military ambitions, according to the report.
Japan had expected the new command to be led by a four-star general, but a U.S. official told Reuters the new organisation would be led by a three-star general.
U.S. officials said Sunday’s talks between Japan and the United States are expected to discuss “extended deterrence,” a term the United States uses to describe how it deploys its nuclear forces to deter attacks on its allies.
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The report said Japan is already home to U.S. military bases housing 54,000 troops, hundreds of aircraft and a forward-deployed carrier strike group, and the new headquarters would strengthen cooperation between the two countries. Japan recently pledged to double its defense spending from 1 percent to 2 percent of GDP in an effort to strengthen its deterrence against China and North Korea.
The move comes as President Biden considers strengthening cooperation with Japan and South Korea, two other key U.S. allies in the region, whose relations have been tense since the early 20th century.
The three countries reportedly signed an agreement on Sunday to “institutionalize” trilateral cooperation, which includes sharing real-time intelligence on North Korean missiles and stepping up joint military drills.
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“This memorandum will strengthen cooperation between Japan, the United States and South Korea and make our partnership unwavering no matter how the international situation changes,” Foreign Minister Kihara told reporters after the signing of the agreement.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital, and the Pentagon declined to comment.
