China’s rapid military buildup and aggressive actions have worried and panicked many global leaders. As a result, Japan and the US have expanded their security tie-up to offer enhanced border protection. The top diplomatic and defence officials have confirmed that both nations will take concrete steps to strengthen defence cooperation to counter China’s biggest strategic challenge.
“The United States will upgrade the US Forces Japan to a joint force headquarters with expanded missions and operational responsibilities.”
- Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of Defense
Officials are finding this to be one of the significant improvements in US-Japan force for military ties after 70 years with this military alliance. Currently, the US has around 54,000 military personnel in Japan who are reporting back to Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii. This move will provide US Forces Japan with great compatibility while reporting to INDOPACOM. The revamp comes after Russia condemned upgrading military ties with North Korea. In the wake of the Ukraine invasion, Moscow bolsters its ties with Beijing to provide more security.
With the introduction of 2+2 talks in Tokyo between the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and their Japanese counterparts revealed that these suggestive changes in security foreign policy of both nations seek to reshape the international order to have control over China and North Korea activities. Japan and the United States have agreed on joint training and exercises to expand planning and contingencies. It helps them to ramp up defence spending to expand counterstrike capabilities.
