US military command in Japan will be restructured due to threat posed by China - FT
Illustrative photo (getty images)
President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will present a plan next month to restructure the US military command in Japan amid shared concerns about China, informs Reuters.
According to sources cited by the Financial Times, the new agreement will strengthen operational planning and joint military exercises between the US and Japan.
This is expected to be announced at the White House on April 10 during the official visit of the Japanese Prime Minister to the US.
Japan is a close ally and a key component of the US strategy regarding China, North Korea, and other security issues in Asia.
About a year ago, Japan pledged to double defense spending to 2% of its gross domestic product and to purchase missiles capable of targeting ships or ground targets up to 1000 km (600 miles) away.
Tokyo recently referred to China's rapidly growing military strength as a "serious concern" for Japan and the international community.
Recently, Japan cautioned then-presidential candidate Donald Trump against making deals with China that could undermine years of efforts to contain Beijing and destabilize the fragile regional order.
Politico, citing sources, reported that Japan and Canada intend to join the so-called "second paragraph" of the trilateral Pacific defense partnership known as AUKUS, involving the UK, US, and Australia. Under this arrangement, participants will sign broad military technology cooperation by the end of 2024 or early 2025.
