U.S. and Japan Deepen Military Cooperation, Citing China as "Greatest Strategic Challenge"

The United States and Japan have announced plans to revamp the U.S. military command in Japan, aiming to deepen coordination between the two countries' armed forces. This move comes as both nations identify China as the "greatest strategic challenge" facing the region.

The announcement followed security talks in Tokyo between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and their Japanese counterparts, Yoko Kamikawa and Minoru Kihara. The new "joint force headquarters" will facilitate deeper interoperability with Japan's Self-Defense Forces and aims to be implemented in parallel with Tokyo's own plans to establish a joint command by March.

This upgrade to the U.S. command in Japan is considered "one of the most significant developments in the history of our alliance," according to Austin. The overhaul is part of several measures taken to address the "evolving security environment," particularly the various threats posed by China.

Both countries expressed concern over China's "coercive behavior," attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas, and the rapid expansion of its nuclear arsenal. They also criticized China's "provocative" maritime actions and joint military exercises with Russia.

For the first time, the ministers also discussed "extended deterrence," referring to the U.S. commitment to use its nuclear forces to deter attacks on allies. This is a sensitive subject in Japan, which has historically advocated for non-proliferation and remains the only country to have suffered atomic bomb attacks.

The talks also addressed the growing military might of China and regular missile tests by North Korea, prompting Japan to shift from its decades-long pacifist stance. In 2022, Japan unveiled a plan to double its defense spending to 2% of GDP.

The new U.S. command in Japan will be headed by a three-star general, not the four-star rank that Japan had requested. The allies also expressed concern about Russia's procurement of ballistic missiles from North Korea and the potential transfer of weapons of mass destruction or missile-related technology to Pyongyang.

Following their meeting in Tokyo, Blinken and Austin will hold security talks with the Philippines, as the Biden administration seeks to counter China's growing influence in the region.