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TOKYO — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday announced an “historic” decision to upgrade the command of the American troops in Japan, highlighting the threats posed by China in the Indo-Pacific.
Speaking to the media after meeting their Japanese counterparts, both Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to reassure Japan that the security commitments would remain intact even if Donald Trump wins the American presidential election in November.
Japanese officials in private raised concerns about Trump’s lack of interest in shoring up the alliance system, both in Europe and in Asia.
“To better meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, the United States will upgrade the U.S. Forces Japan to a Joint Force Headquarters with expanded missions and operational responsibilities,” Austin said. “This will be the most significant change to U.S. Forces Japan since its creation, and one of the strongest improvements in our military ties with Japan in 70 years.”
Tokyo is stepping up plans to prepare for its potential role if China invades Taiwan. It will be a key base for any American troops that could be deployed in such an event.
“We continue to see the PRC [People’s Republic of China] engaging in coercive behavior and trying to change the status quo in the East and South China Sea, around Taiwan and throughout the region,” Austin said in a statement.
Austin and Blinken also reiterated promises for Japan in terms of the nuclear deterrence that the U.S. is ready to provide Japan with in the event of conflicts, after a first-of-its-kind ministerial session between Washington and Tokyo on what they called “extended deterrence.”
On Trump, Blinken said the U.S. and Japan “have an alliance that’s endured, but not only endured for decades, it’s gotten stronger. … Precisely because of that interest, I think it will — more than I think, I know it will be sustained, irrespective of the outcome of elections in either of our countries.”
Japan serves as a base for the U.S. to project military power in the Indo-Pacific, hosting 54,000 American troops, hundreds of U.S. aircraft and Washington’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier strike group.
