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United States Forces Japan
The United States Forces Japan (USFJ) (Japanese: 在日米軍, Hepburn: Zainichi Beigun) is a subordinate unified command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command. It was activated at Fuchū Air Station in Tokyo, Japan, on 1 July 1957 to replace the Far East Command. USFJ is headquartered at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo and is commanded by the Commander, U.S. Forces Japan who is also commander of the Fifth Air Force. Since then, it is the first and only sustained presence of a foreign military on Japanese soil in its history.
USFJ oversees U.S. military personnel, assets, and installations in Japan, including approximately 55,000 active-duty servicemembers and 15 major bases. USFJ supports U.S. responsibilities under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, and its activities are governed by the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the United States and Japan. The command plays a major role in security-related coordination and dialogue with the Government of Japan and the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
In July 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that USFJ would be upgraded to a "joint operational headquarters", a move U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin characterized as "the most significant change to U.S. Forces Japan since its creation".
After the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in Asia, the United States Armed Forces assumed administrative authority in Japan. The Imperial Japanese Army and Navy were decommissioned, and the U.S. Armed Forces took control of Japanese military bases until a new government could be formed and positioned to reestablish authority.Allied forces planned to demilitarize Japan, and the new government adopted the Constitution of Japan with a no-armed-force clause in 1947.
After the Korean War began in 1950, Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in Japan, in agreement with the Japanese government, established the paramilitary "National Police Reserve", which was later developed into the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.[citation needed] It means the de facto remilitarization of postwar Japan.[citation needed]
In 1951, the Treaty of San Francisco, signed by the Allies and Japan, formally ended the state of war with the Allies and restored Japan's formal sovereignty. At the same time, the U.S. and Japan signed the Japan-America Security Alliance, a ten-year renewable agreement. By this treaty, USFJ is responsible for the defense of Japan. As part of this agreement, the Japanese government requested that the U.S. military bases remain in Japan and agreed to provide funds and various interests specified in the Status of Forces Agreement.[citation needed] At the expiration of the treaty, the United States and Japan signed the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan.[citation needed] The status of the United States Forces Japan was defined in the U.S.–Japan Status of Forces Agreement. This treaty is still in effect, and it forms the basis of Japan's foreign policy.[citation needed]
During the Vietnam War, U.S. military bases in Japan, especially those in the Okinawa Prefecture, were used as important strategic and logistic bases. In 1970, the Koza riot occurred against the U.S. military presence on Okinawa. Strategic bombers were deployed to the bases on Okinawa. Before the 1972 reversion of the island to Japanese administration, it has been speculated but never confirmed that up to 1,200 nuclear weapons may have been stored at Kadena Air Base during the 1960s.
The Japanese government paid ¥217 billion (US$2.0 billion) in 2007 as annual host-nation support called Omoiyari Yosan (思いやり予算; sympathy budget or compassion budget). As of the 2011 budget, such payment was no longer to be referred to as omoiyari yosan or "sympathy budget". Japan compensates 75% ($4.4 billion) of U.S. basing costs.
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United States Forces Japan
The United States Forces Japan (USFJ) (Japanese: 在日米軍, Hepburn: Zainichi Beigun) is a subordinate unified command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command. It was activated at Fuchū Air Station in Tokyo, Japan, on 1 July 1957 to replace the Far East Command. USFJ is headquartered at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo and is commanded by the Commander, U.S. Forces Japan who is also commander of the Fifth Air Force. Since then, it is the first and only sustained presence of a foreign military on Japanese soil in its history.
USFJ oversees U.S. military personnel, assets, and installations in Japan, including approximately 55,000 active-duty servicemembers and 15 major bases. USFJ supports U.S. responsibilities under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, and its activities are governed by the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the United States and Japan. The command plays a major role in security-related coordination and dialogue with the Government of Japan and the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
In July 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that USFJ would be upgraded to a "joint operational headquarters", a move U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin characterized as "the most significant change to U.S. Forces Japan since its creation".
After the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in Asia, the United States Armed Forces assumed administrative authority in Japan. The Imperial Japanese Army and Navy were decommissioned, and the U.S. Armed Forces took control of Japanese military bases until a new government could be formed and positioned to reestablish authority.Allied forces planned to demilitarize Japan, and the new government adopted the Constitution of Japan with a no-armed-force clause in 1947.
After the Korean War began in 1950, Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in Japan, in agreement with the Japanese government, established the paramilitary "National Police Reserve", which was later developed into the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.[citation needed] It means the de facto remilitarization of postwar Japan.[citation needed]
In 1951, the Treaty of San Francisco, signed by the Allies and Japan, formally ended the state of war with the Allies and restored Japan's formal sovereignty. At the same time, the U.S. and Japan signed the Japan-America Security Alliance, a ten-year renewable agreement. By this treaty, USFJ is responsible for the defense of Japan. As part of this agreement, the Japanese government requested that the U.S. military bases remain in Japan and agreed to provide funds and various interests specified in the Status of Forces Agreement.[citation needed] At the expiration of the treaty, the United States and Japan signed the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan.[citation needed] The status of the United States Forces Japan was defined in the U.S.–Japan Status of Forces Agreement. This treaty is still in effect, and it forms the basis of Japan's foreign policy.[citation needed]
During the Vietnam War, U.S. military bases in Japan, especially those in the Okinawa Prefecture, were used as important strategic and logistic bases. In 1970, the Koza riot occurred against the U.S. military presence on Okinawa. Strategic bombers were deployed to the bases on Okinawa. Before the 1972 reversion of the island to Japanese administration, it has been speculated but never confirmed that up to 1,200 nuclear weapons may have been stored at Kadena Air Base during the 1960s.
The Japanese government paid ¥217 billion (US$2.0 billion) in 2007 as annual host-nation support called Omoiyari Yosan (思いやり予算; sympathy budget or compassion budget). As of the 2011 budget, such payment was no longer to be referred to as omoiyari yosan or "sympathy budget". Japan compensates 75% ($4.4 billion) of U.S. basing costs.