No. 1400 New Military Headquarters of the US and Japan Established
The renewed Self Defense Forces (SDF) of Japan has begun to work –forces ‘commanded by the United States.’ A ministerial meeting was held in Tokyo March 30 attended by the US Secretary of Defense and Japan’s Minister of Defense. The two officials have confirmed to enforce the bilateral command and control structure as well as to tie the two military units. If some contingency should occur across the Taiwan Strait, Japan would be on the forefront.
JAPAN’S SDF WILL BE COMMANDED BY THE US FORCES
Minister of Defense Nakatani Gen told in the meeting that the three branches of Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces of Japan had been integrated into a single command component, the JSDF Joint Operations Command (JJOC) on March 24, while Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth mentioned about a plan that the Headquarters of U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ), located in the Yokota Base (covering areas of Fussa City, Tokyo, and others), will be reconstituted as a Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ).
Japan would be on front lines
The Joint Force Headquarters, which has operational command, is a JJOC counterpart.
Secretary Hegseth told in the press conference held after the ministerial meeting that ‘Japan would be on the front lines of any contingency we might face in the Western Pacific and we stand together in support of each other’, and ‘Japan is an indispensable partner for us in order to deter military actions staged by the Chinese Communist Party.’
The bilateral alliance will usher into a new stage by the creation of new headquarters. That will certainly provoke China, accelerating and sharpening tensions in the East Asian region. The Japanese government explains that ‘the SDF and the US Forces Japan act in accordance with their respective, independent command systems. No change will be seen, compared with the past practices.’
Under the overwhelming strength of the US forces, however, it is quite natural that people ask whether ‘Japan’s own command will be guaranteed.’ Or rather, the Japanese SDF will be, reasonably, commanded by the US in the operations from a military point of view. It is totally obvious that the government’s account is a kind of ceremony.
US headquarters will reside in Akasaka, a very center of Tokyo
It is 30 kilometers apart from the US Yokota Base, where a Joint Force Headquarters will be placed, to the Ministry of Defense of Japan, located in Ichigaya, Tokyo, where JJOC will be stationed. For this reason, the US military has a plan to base in the satellite center inside the Akasaka Press Center for communications and arrangements between the counterparts. A distance between Akasaka and Ichigaya is three kilometers.
Helicopters of the US Forces fly everyday around the Center, and so the municipal office of the Minato-Ward as well as residents has demanded its repatriation for long as the flying vehicles produce enormous noises, bringing a risk of crashing. When a new headquarters is set up here, it may be a potential target. The municipal office and residents fear of dangers.
SDF’s joint unit of ground, maritime and air forces
On the same day, March 24, when the JJOC was established, the SDF set up a ‘Maritime Transport Group’, a joint unit of three branches of SDF. This is a new component that transports troops, vehicles and materials to deter foreign invasion to the Southwestern Islands region. It is the first attempt in the history of SDF to merge the ground, maritime and air forces in one entity since its foundation.
The Group is based at the Kure Maritime SDF Base, Hiroshima. Inhabitants there seriously worry about a possibility of attack as one more site in the city, the former area of Nippon Steel Corporation’s plant, will be converted to a Multifunctional Defense Complex.
「米軍指揮下」の自衛隊へ大きく踏み出した。３月30日に東京で行われた日米防衛相会談は日米両軍の指揮統制強化・一体化を確認した。台湾有事に直面すれば、「日本は前線に立つ」ことになる。
中谷元・防衛相は会談で、陸海空３自衛隊を一元的に指揮する「統合作戦司令部」発足（３月24日）を伝え、ヘグセス国防長官は、横田基地（東京都福生市など）にある在日米軍司令部を「統合軍司令部」へ移行する計画を始動したと述べた。
日本は前線に立つ
作戦の指揮権をもつ統合軍司令部は、自衛隊の統合作戦司令部のカウンターパート（対応相手）。
ヘグセス氏は会談後の記者会見で、「西太平洋の有事に直面した場合、日本は前線に立ち、日米で支え合う状況になる」、「中国共産党による武力行使を抑止する上で日本は私たちに不可欠なパートナー」などと述べた。
日米が新たな司令部を作ることで軍事同盟は新たな段階に入る。中国を挑発し、東アジアの緊張加速・激化は必至だ。日本政府は、「自衛隊と米軍はそれぞれ独立した指揮系統に従って行動する。これまでと何ら変わらない」と説明する。
しかし、米軍の圧倒的な優位性の中で「日本の指揮権は担保できるのか」という指摘は当然だ。むしろ、米軍の指揮下で自衛隊が作戦遂行する方が軍事的合理性があり、日本政府の説明が建て前であることは明白だ。
赤坂に米軍の拠点
米軍の統合軍司令部が置かれる横田基地と、自衛隊の統合作戦司令部がある市ヶ谷の防衛省は30㌔離れている。このため米軍は六本木の赤坂プレスセンターのサテライトオフィスを拠点とし、日米のカウンターパート同士の連絡・調整を行う計画だ。こちらの距離は３㌔だ。
同センターには毎日米軍ヘリが飛来、墜落の危険と共に激しい騒音をまき散らしており、港区や住民は長年、返還を求めてきた。新たに統合軍司令部機能の一部が置かれることになれば、攻撃対象になりかねず、区や住民は危惧している。
陸海空の共同部隊
また、自衛隊では統合作戦司令部発足と同じ３月24日、陸海空３自衛隊共同の「海上輸送群」が設置された。南西諸島への侵攻を阻止する部隊や車両、物資を運ぶ新部隊で、艦艇を運用する陸海空共同の部隊は自衛隊発足以来初めて。
海上輸送群の拠点は海自呉基地で、日本製鉄呉地区跡地の複合防衛拠点化と相まって呉市民は攻撃対象となることに危惧を強めている。
英訳版↓
No. 1400 New Military Headquarters of the US and Japan Established
The renewed Self Defense Forces (SDF) of Japan has begun to work –forces ‘commanded by the United States.’ A ministerial meeting was held in Tokyo March 30 attended by the US Secretary of Defense and Japan’s Minister of Defense. The two officials have confirmed to enforce the bilateral command and control structure as well as to tie the two military units. If some contingency should occur across the Taiwan Strait, Japan would be on the forefront.
JAPAN’S SDF WILL BE COMMANDED BY THE US FORCES
Minister of Defense Nakatani Gen told in the meeting that the three branches of Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces of Japan had been integrated into a single command component, the JSDF Joint Operations Command (JJOC) on March 24, while Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth mentioned about a plan that the Headquarters of U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ), located in the Yokota Base (covering areas of Fussa City, Tokyo, and others), will be reconstituted as a Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ).
Japan would be on front lines
The Joint Force Headquarters, which has operational command, is a JJOC counterpart.
Secretary Hegseth told in the press conference held after the ministerial meeting that ‘Japan would be on the front lines of any contingency we might face in the Western Pacific and we stand together in support of each other’, and ‘Japan is an indispensable partner for us in order to deter military actions staged by the Chinese Communist Party.’
The bilateral alliance will usher into a new stage by the creation of new headquarters. That will certainly provoke China, accelerating and sharpening tensions in the East Asian region. The Japanese government explains that ‘the SDF and the US Forces Japan act in accordance with their respective, independent command systems. No change will be seen, compared with the past practices.’
Under the overwhelming strength of the US forces, however, it is quite natural that people ask whether ‘Japan’s own command will be guaranteed.’ Or rather, the Japanese SDF will be, reasonably, commanded by the US in the operations from a military point of view. It is totally obvious that the government’s account is a kind of ceremony.
US headquarters will reside in Akasaka, a very center of Tokyo
It is 30 kilometers apart from the US Yokota Base, where a Joint Force Headquarters will be placed, to the Ministry of Defense of Japan, located in Ichigaya, Tokyo, where JJOC will be stationed. For this reason, the US military has a plan to base in the satellite center inside the Akasaka Press Center for communications and arrangements between the counterparts. A distance between Akasaka and Ichigaya is three kilometers.
Helicopters of the US Forces fly everyday around the Center, and so the municipal office of the Minato-Ward as well as residents has demanded its repatriation for long as the flying vehicles produce enormous noises, bringing a risk of crashing. When a new headquarters is set up here, it may be a potential target. The municipal office and residents fear of dangers.
SDF’s joint unit of ground, maritime and air forces
On the same day, March 24, when the JJOC was established, the SDF set up a ‘Maritime Transport Group’, a joint unit of three branches of SDF. This is a new component that transports troops, vehicles and materials to deter foreign invasion to the Southwestern Islands region. It is the first attempt in the history of SDF to merge the ground, maritime and air forces in one entity since its foundation.
The Group is based at the Kure Maritime SDF Base, Hiroshima. Inhabitants there seriously worry about a possibility of attack as one more site in the city, the former area of Nippon Steel Corporation’s plant, will be converted to a Multifunctional Defense Complex.
April 23, 2025