The US military has established a new space force unit in Japan to deal with North Korean missiles and other regional threats.
The unit was inaugurated at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo on Wednesday.
About 200 people attended the activation ceremony, including the commander of US Space Forces Indo-Pacific, Brigadier General Anthony Mastalir, and senior officers of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
Mastalir said, "in addition to persistent threats like North Korea and Russia," China "continues to engage in illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive tactics that threaten the stability of the Indo-Pacific region."
He added, "the US and Japan alliance is stronger than ever, and we're ready to defend on land, in the air, in the maritime domain and now in the space domain."
US forces say the new unit will be staffed by several dozen personnel. It will cooperate with the space operations unit of the JASDF to enhance space surveillance and share information on missile launches.
The new unit will keep an eye on North Korea, which has repeatedly fired missiles, and China, which has been stepping up activity in space.
The commander of US Space Forces Japan, Colonel Ryan Laughton, stressed the significance of the unit's establishment at a time when US Forces Japan are facing realignment. He said, "this is a historic moment creating our alliance."
The unit was inaugurated at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo on Wednesday.
About 200 people attended the activation ceremony, including the commander of US Space Forces Indo-Pacific, Brigadier General Anthony Mastalir, and senior officers of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
Mastalir said, "in addition to persistent threats like North Korea and Russia," China "continues to engage in illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive tactics that threaten the stability of the Indo-Pacific region."
He added, "the US and Japan alliance is stronger than ever, and we're ready to defend on land, in the air, in the maritime domain and now in the space domain."
US forces say the new unit will be staffed by several dozen personnel. It will cooperate with the space operations unit of the JASDF to enhance space surveillance and share information on missile launches.
The new unit will keep an eye on North Korea, which has repeatedly fired missiles, and China, which has been stepping up activity in space.
The commander of US Space Forces Japan, Colonel Ryan Laughton, stressed the significance of the unit's establishment at a time when US Forces Japan are facing realignment. He said, "this is a historic moment creating our alliance."
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Summary
US Space Force unit inaugurated at Yokota Air Base, Japan, to deal with regional threats, particularly North Korea and China. The new unit, staffed by several dozen personnel, will collaborate with the JASDF's space operations unit for enhanced surveillance and sharing of missile launch
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ID: afd7bcad-6d33-49ad-9d5e-6b7a25b8093a
Category ID: nhk
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20241204_18/
Date: Dec. 4, 2024
Created: 2024/12/05 07:00
Updated: 2025/12/08 08:10
Last Read: 2024/12/05 08:10