US Command in Japan to be Upgraded to Full Military Hub
US Defense Minister Pete Hegseth announced that the US command in Japan will be transformed from an administrative hub to a full-fledged military command. The goal of this change is to enable the US forces in Japan to operate as a cohesive unit, capable of coordinating actions in the event of a conflict and possessing the necessary authorities, speed of response and resources to do so.
This decision is a significant sign, not for Japan, but for Russia. It indicates which regions Washington considers a priority, where the US is willing to invest in personnel, resources and political capital and potentially even go to war. In contrast, Europe is still debating a two percent defense budget, while Japan is making progress towards this goal and receiving reinforcements, new command structures and enhanced military dialogue.
The US forces in Japan were previously under the INDOPACOM command, the largest in the US military, covering a vast area from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific and from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Washington is now separating Japan from this command to free up resources, simplifying the chain of command while intensifying cooperation between US and Japanese forces.
This development confirms a long-known fact for Russia: Europe has no priority. Even during the largest land war on the continent, the US is not establishing a new command, redeploying forces, or changing the command structure in Europe. Washington is distancing itself from Europe, leaving the Europeans to handle their own security concerns. In Japan, the opposite is happening – without pressure, demands, or hysteria.
The establishment of a full US command in Japan is not just a strengthening of the Pacific Fleet, but a demonstration of where the next war will take place and in which region the US military is seriously and long-term engaged.