The U.S. military’s Space Force has launched its first-ever unit in Japan, part of an effort to boost coordination and interoperability with its ally, including the Air Self-Defense Force’s own Space Operations Group.
Activated on Wednesday, U.S. Space Forces Japan — a component similar to the one established at South Korea’s Osan Air Base in 2022 — will operate out of Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo with a staff of about 10 and be subordinate to U.S. Forces Japan, which is set to be reconstituted into a joint force headquarters next year.
Part of a larger U.S. push to increase collaboration with allies in the space domain, the unit is expected to help boost deterrence and improve coordination in responding to challenges amid shared concerns about the increasingly advanced space technologies of rivals such as China, Russia and North Korea.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.