(CTN News) – Amid growing concerns from China in the Indo-Pacific, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin stated on Sunday that the United States will be upgrading the leadership of its soldiers in Japan in a “historic” move.
Both Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attempted to reassure Japan in remarks to the media after they met with their Japanese counterparts that the security pledges would not change, even if Donald Trump wins the US presidential election in November.
US revamps Japan’s command amid China’s threats
In private, Japanese officials expressed worries about Trump’s disinterest in strengthening the alliance structure in both Asia and Europe.
“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 making more of an effort to be ready in case China invades Taiwan. If American forces are sent into such a situation, this will be a crucial base.
“We continue to see the PRC [People’s Republic of China] engaging in coercive behaviour and trying to change the status quo in the East and South China Sea, around Taiwan, and throughout the region,” Austin stated in a press release.
After the first-ever ministerial meeting between Washington and Tokyo on “extended deterrence,” Austin and Blinken also restated commitments to Japan over the nuclear deterrent that the United States is prepared to provide in the event of war.
Regarding Trump, Blinken stated that the United States “has 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.”
With 54,000 American soldiers, hundreds of American planes, and Washington’s sole forward-deployed aircraft carrier strike group, Japan provides the United States with a platform from which to project military might across the Indo-Pacific region.
Source: Politico
