By Shi Wen

On December 4, soldiers assigned to the US Marine Corps conduct UH-1Y Venom helicopter fast-rope training at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan.

According to foreign media reports, a US Space Command opened at the US Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo in early December to strengthen cooperation between the US and Japan in surveillance of outer space and information sharing. Senior officials from both the US and Japan declared that the move was not only an important part of the restructuring of the US military command in Japan but also a key measure of the US Air Force (USAF) to deepen its force deployment and of the US and Japan to strengthen cooperation in space and other areas.

According to foreign media, the US Space Command in Japan will focus on mainly three types of tasks. The first is to coordinate and dispatch space-based satellite resources covering the US military bases in Japan. The second is to be responsible for the reconnaissance, acquisition, analysis and distribution of space intelligence. The third is to accept instructions from the US Space Force and support the operations of US Forces Japan (USFJ) and US-Japan joint military operations. In other words, the US Space Command in Japan can both participate in intelligence work and perform combat missions.

Accelerating space outreach of the US

Brig. Gen. Anthony J. Mastalir stated that the establishment of the US Space Command in Japan is a significant milestone for US space military operations in the Indo-Pacific region. Since the announcement of the establishment of the US Space Force in 2019, its development has gradually entered the fast lane. In November 2021, the US Space Force was authorized to establish service component commands at the Indo-Pacific and European Central Command headquarters, and the commander of the US Forces Korea (USFK), with the aim of quickly responding to the space warfare needs of these four major joint operations commands.

In November 2022, the US established the Space Forces Indo-Pacific. In December of the same year, the US established the Space Forces in the ROK. Commentators say that the establishment of the US Space Command in Japan signifies the basic formation of the space force organizational structure at the Indo-Pacific Command and the Indo-Pacific region will become a key area for the US Space Force to showcase its military strength.

Some media in Japan and the ROK are concerned that the establishment of Space Force units in both the ROK and Japan by the US will further increase its military presence in the region. In addition to overhead reconnaissance using space-based satellite resources, various Delta Forces may also be deployed to the Western Pacific region for exercise and training. The US may move the Global Sentinel multinational space exercises and some space-related tests to countries like Japan and the ROK, thus increasing pressure on the involved nations.

In addition, the US Space Force has unveiled a new Proliferated War fighter Space Architecture (PWSA) and a new model for generating and deploying space forces. The US Space Commands in Japan and the ROK will become key forces in the US strategic deployment of the space battlefield in the Indo-Pacific region.

Demonstration effect deserves attention

Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani Gen welcomed the establishment of the US Space Command in Japan and stated that the command would help the US and Japan jointly address security threats in the space domain. The Pentagon stated that this is the latest attempt by the US to advance the US-Japan military alliance.

According to reports, Japan formed a Space Operations Group based on two Space Operations Squadrons in March 2022. It is located at Yokota Air Base, with an initial personnel strength of about 70, which has since expanded to around 120. The establishment of the US Space Command at the Yokota Air Base by the US aims to co-locate with the Japanese side to facilitate coordination, while also making it easier to receive support and assistance from allies in logistics and operations.

Yokota Air Base is also the location of the USFJ. The newly established space command will be granted the authority to collaborate with the Joint Operations Command of the JSDF on intelligence sharing and joint operations. Notably, the US had communicated and coordinated with Japan regarding command authority and force deployment on matters such as joint maritime patrols, combined operations, and joint strikes. The establishment of the US Space Command in Japan will open up new avenues for military cooperation between the two countries in the space domain.

It is noteworthy that the US is advancing the systematic development of space force command structures, task forces, and operational concepts in parallel with regional allies such as Japan and the ROK, especially the establishment and operation of US Space Force leadership institutions in the two countries, which would set an example for the development of space warfare capabilities in other regions. Both Australia and the Philippines have publicly invited the US Space Force to visit their countries for "guidance and assistance". Commentators say that the US military expansion in outer space and its efforts to involve allies such as Japan and the ROK will fuel an arms race in outer space, intensify confrontation, and undermine regional peace and stability.