In order to better utilize its comprehensive combat capabilities, enhance cooperation with the US military, and increase deterrence against China and North Korea, the Japan Self-Defense Forces will reform its command system by establishing a new “Integrated Joint Command” headquarters. At the same time, the US military will also adjust its command structure, granting the commander of the US forces in Japan the authority to mobilize troops for more effective military cooperation with the Self-Defense Forces.
On January 28, Japan’s Minister of Defense, Gen Nakatani, disclosed to the media after attending a cabinet meeting the details of the upcoming establishment of the “Integrated Joint Command” by the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
He stated that as the security situation around Japan becomes more severe, in order to enhance the effectiveness of joint operations by the Self-Defense Forces, Japan will establish a permanent joint operational command at the end of the 2024 fiscal year to unify the commands of the Ground, Maritime, Air Self-Defense Forces, and establish a system that can seamlessly conduct cross-domain operations from peacetime to wartime stages.
According to officials from the Defense Ministry, the long-prepared Japan Self-Defense Forces Integrated Joint Command will be officially established at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Ichigaya, Tokyo on March 24. The new headquarters will consist of 240 personnel, led by a Joint Command Commander of equal rank to the Ground, Maritime, and Air Chiefs of Staff, in addition to a Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff, and civilian Assistant Commander. The first Joint Command Commander will be selected from either the Ground or Air Force.
The current command system of the Japan Self-Defense Forces is as follows: the Prime Minister oversees the Self-Defense Forces through the Defense Minister, who in turn commands and coordinates the Ground, Maritime, Air forces through the Joint Staff Chief (Joint Chiefs of Staff); each branch also has its own Chief of Staff.
Up to now, the Joint Staff Chief, as the highest-ranking official of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, has had both assisting roles to the Prime Minister and Defense Minister as well as command responsibilities. Therefore, in emergency situations, it has been considered challenging to handle both tasks simultaneously.
With the reform of the Self-Defense Forces command system, the Prime Minister and Defense Minister will no longer have to go through the Joint Staff Chief but can directly issue orders to the Integrated Joint Command, which will coordinate, mobilize, and direct all branches.
After the establishment of the Joint Command, operational commanders will focus on directing the Ground, Maritime, Air, and Cyber Defense and Space Operations Forces during peacetime, while the Joint Staff Chief will assist the Prime Minister and Defense Minister, ensuring clear role differentiation.
The establishment of the new Integrated Joint Command also aims to achieve seamless integration in operational cooperation capabilities with the US military.
Military commentator Mark, in an interview with Epoch Times, stated, “The establishment of the Integrated Joint Command by Japan will address the longstanding issue of the inability of the Self-Defense Forces to have unified command of the various branches, enabling unified command of the Ground, Maritime, Air Self-Defense Forces, and strengthening defense in new security areas such as cyber and space. This marks a significant step towards Japan’s Self-Defense Forces becoming a regular military force.”
Political commentator Tang Jingyuan also told Epoch Times that the adjustment of the command system by the Japan Self-Defense Forces will significantly enhance Japan’s military operational capabilities and bring about a major change, promoting substantive cooperation between Japan and the US militarily.
On April 10 last year, then-Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and then-US President Biden issued a joint statement titled “Global Partners for the Future,” pledging to continue efforts to achieve freedom and openness in the Indo-Pacific and the world at large. They explicitly opposed China’s dangerous actions attempting to change the status quo in the East China Sea and South China Sea through force.
The joint statement welcomed Japan’s establishment of the Self-Defense Forces “Integrated Joint Command,” believing that it will strengthen the Japan-US alliance, elevate Japan-US defense relations to a new level, and open up a new era of security cooperation between Japan and the US.
In the joint statement, the leaders of both countries clearly stated that they aim to achieve seamless integration of military forces in joint operations and improve the command and control frameworks of both countries.
On July 3 last year, the Japanese Ministry of Defense announced the initiation of discussions on the establishment of the “Integrated Joint Command” in accordance with the “National Defense Strategy” to enhance the effectiveness of joint operational actions and establish a permanent joint command to unify the commands of the Ground, Maritime, and Air forces.
The announcement stated that the establishment of the Integrated Joint Command aims to address the rapid deterioration of the security environment around Japan, establish a system that seamlessly conducts cross-domain operations, and enhance the effectiveness of joint operations by the Self-Defense Forces.
Facing various increasing threats from China, Japan has been actively adjusting its defense policy in recent years, including advancing its retaliatory capability to strike enemy bases. For this purpose, the Self-Defense Forces need assistance from the US military. As a coordinating body with the Self-Defense Forces Integrated Joint Command, the US military will also establish its own Joint Forces Command.
With Biden leaving office and Trump returning to the White House, the future direction of the Japan-US alliance has attracted public attention.
On January 21, Deputy Commander of the US Forces in Japan, Terry Butcher, told the media that the restructuring of the US and Japan command systems will lead to even closer cooperation between the two countries, which is of great significance. He stated that after President Trump took office, the US-Japan relationship will remain strong; the US and Japan have established a cooperative relationship, and Japan remains a crucial ally to the US.
Butcher revealed that following the establishment of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces Integrated Joint Command, the US has decided to reorganize the US Forces in Japan, creating a Joint Forces Command in Japan with the authority to command troops stationed there. so far, this authority has been held by the Indo-Pacific Command based in Hawaii. He emphasized that this move is significant and will further strengthen defense cooperation between the US and Japan.
Mark mentioned, “The US Forces in Japan are under the control of Indo-Pacific Command. Until now, they could only handle logistical support issues independently, while matters like troop movements and cooperation with the Self-Defense Forces required approval from the Indo-Pacific Command. Although the newly established US Forces in Japan Joint Command will also be subordinate to the Indo-Pacific Command, having a commander with a four-star general rank who has the power to command troops and cooperate with the Self-Defense Forces gives the US Forces in Japan greater authority. In the event of armed conflict in the Taiwan Strait or East Asia in the future, the US Forces in Japan can react more quickly to cooperate with the Self-Defense Forces, greatly enhancing Japan’s ability to defend its territory and intervene in a Taiwan crisis, which is a substantial deterrent against China.”
“The systemic change in the military command systems of both countries will enhance their coordination in military cooperation and training, preparing for potential armed conflicts, and holds practical significance,” added Mark.
James Schoff, a senior expert on US-Japan relations, praised the plan to adjust the command structure of the US and Japan militaries in a publication last year. He believed that Japan would play an increasingly important role in large-scale sudden events on the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan Strait, or other regions. The joint command in Japan by the US will help ensure close cooperation between the US and Japan in crises.
Due to constraints from Japan’s constitution, it has been challenging for the Self-Defense Forces to have unified command and control with the US military like the Korean armed forces and the US forces in South Korea through establishing a Joint Command Center. This is because if the US were to use force before being under “armed attack” or facing a “survival crisis,” their unified command and control could violate Japan’s relevant laws.
Thus, the actions of the Japanese and American military will remain “joint” rather than “integrated.” The US and Japan will establish working groups to discuss specific action plans, with the key being how to establish an effective command system.
Tang Jingyuan indicated, “The original system did not allow for this type of lateral joint combat capability and connection. After the establishment of this Integrated Joint Command, it essentially breaks through these restrictions. Military cooperation is becoming increasingly unified between the US and Japan, effectively loosening the restrictions on overseas military operations by the Japan Self-Defense Forces. This is a very frightening prospect for China, and the military pressure will be significant.”
At the US-Japan 2+2 (foreign and defense ministers) security meeting held in Japan last year, the US stated that it would reorganize its forces in Japan by establishing a Joint Forces Command with the power to mobilize and command troops. This move is to align with Japan’s establishment of the Integrated Joint Command in the fiscal year 2024 (until the end of March 2025), facilitating smoother communication and cooperation between US and Japanese defense efforts.
Mark commented, “This systemic change in the US and Japan military has positive implications for their military coordination. Japan is deeply concerned about China’s continuous expansion in the Taiwan Strait and East China Sea. Previously, there were many restrictions on coordination and cooperation between the US forces in Japan and the Self-Defense Forces. This systemic change will bring a turning point in cooperation between the two, with regular joint training between the Self-Defense Forces and the US military, benefiting Japan’s military readiness and operational capabilities.”