Photo/Illutration U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell speaks with reporters in Tokyo on March 21. (Provided by U.S. Embassy)

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden will confirm increased coordination in command-and-control functions between the Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military, according to U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.

The agreement will be made during the Japan-U.S. summit in Washington on April 10, said Campbell, who is visiting Japan and met with reporters from media organizations, including The Asahi Shimbun, on March 21.

Japanese and U.S. officials have called for greater coordination between the SDF and U.S. military regarding integration of their respective command-and-control functions.

The SDF plans to establish by the end of fiscal 2024 a unified tactical command to manage units within its three branches.

This new command, according to Campbell, is “a clear indication of Japan developing independent capabilities and taking further responsibility for its own defense.”

He said the United States would cooperate and support that effort, adding that the two leaders would likely discuss what a joint command-and-control framework might look like.

More specific discussions on how that coordination will evolve could be held within the Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee, consisting of the foreign and defense chiefs from both countries, Campbell said.

A meeting of the committee is scheduled for after the Kishida-Biden summit.

He also indicated the possibility of the U.S. military deploying more troops to Japan or providing functional support to strengthen coordination with the SDF.

While Kishida is in Washington, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will also visit and hold his first trilateral meeting with Kishida and Biden.

Campbell said the Philippines “plays a critical role politically, geographically, strategically.”

He expressed hope that discussions among the three leaders would contribute to greater coordination in military and technological areas, as well as people exchanges.

Campbell said the trilateral relationship would become an important pillar in the region on the same level as the Quad arrangement involving the United States, Japan, Australia and India, as well as the trilateral framework of Japan, the United States and South Korea.

Regarding North Korea, Campbell said Japan, the United States and South Korea share concerns that Pyongyang is “providing arms to Russia as it undertakes its brutal campaign against Ukraine.”

Campbell touched upon the possibility of dialogue with North Korea, should it implement the necessary measures toward denuclearization.

But he added, “Over the last five years, we’ve seen no sign of North Korea being prepared to engage directly with any of our governments.”

Related News