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Japan and the United States have confirmed that the U.S. Space Force will launch a unit in Tokyo in December as planned, the Defense Ministry said, with the aim of strengthening bilateral deterrence capabilities.
The Japanese ministry said the arrangement was reaffirmed by Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin during their meeting on Sunday in Darwin, the capital of Australia's Northern Territory.
The unit will be set up at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo with a staff of about 10, as the United States boosts collaboration with its allies in the space domain, where competition with countries such as China and Russia is intensifying.
The main role of the unit will be to ensure smooth coordination with Japan, including the Space Operations Group of the Air Self-Defense Force. No new equipment is slated for installation as operations will utilize existing facilities at the base.
The establishment of the unit is expected to improve interoperability between Japan and the United States in the space sector and enhance the deterrence and response capabilities of the bilateral alliance, the Defense Ministry said.
© KYODO
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robert maes
No need for them to unpack as Trump will send them right back.
Mike_Oxlong
Why would Trump do that? His administration created that branch.
Wasabi
trump Space Force is a joke and serve no purpose and that for many more years
JJE
Another example of the double standards of Tokyo: one day they whinge about other countries have a defense pact and then the next day they do something like this.
Tiger
"Space Force" Anyone else get reminded of the Power Rangers?
OssanAmerica
Why? The U.S. Space Force was established under the previous Trump administration.