Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced during a joint press conference in Tokyo that the Defense Department has started phase one of upgrading U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) to a joint force headquarters. This upgrade transforms USFJ from a primarily administrative command to one with expanded warfighting and operational responsibilities.
The transformation aims to improve USFJ’s ability to operate alongside Japan’s newly established Joint Operations Command (JJOC), created on March 24, 2025.
Preparing for Regional Security Challenges
“Those who long for peace must prepare for war. We must be prepared, and we look forward to working closely together as we improve our warfighting capabilities, our lethality, and our readiness,” Hegseth stated.
Regarding China’s growing presence in the Indo-Pacific, Hegseth emphasized America’s commitment to maintaining a “ready, robust and credible deterrence” throughout the region, including across the Taiwan Strait.
“Our job is to build an alliance so robust that both the reality and perception of deterrence is real so that the Communist Chinese don’t take aggressive action,” he added.
Strengthening the US-Japan Alliance
The U.S.-Japan Alliance has been a cornerstone of peace in the Indo-Pacific since the 1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. This upgrade follows the July 2024 Joint Statement of the Security Consultative Committee, where leaders emphasized modernizing the Alliance’s command structures.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Stephen Jost, commander of USFJ, explained: “A Joint Force Headquarters will enable us to pool our resources, leverage our capabilities, and project power more effectively.”
Implementation and Multilateral Cooperation
As part of the upgrade, the Defense Department will add personnel to both Tokyo and USFJ headquarters at Yokota Air Base to strengthen bilateral bonds and deepen operational cooperation.
Both countries have committed to expanding multilateral cooperation with partners including Australia, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, ASEAN, Pacific Island Countries, and NATO counterparts.
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani discussed with Secretary Hegseth the importance of building “an organic and multilayered network of allies” to strengthen regional deterrence.
A Forward-Looking Partnership
Hegseth’s announcement in Tokyo was the final stop of a weeklong trip throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Throughout his travels, he met with senior leadership and interacted with troops from all service branches.
“America and Japan… We seek peace,” Hegseth concluded, highlighting that Japan would be “on the front lines of any contingency we might face in the Western Pacific.”
Lt. Gen. Jost expressed confidence in the alliance’s future, stating, “The team we’re building today will deliver a next-level capability to ensure security and prosperity for those in Japan and across the region.”