With China’s increasing investment in enhancing its military power, posing a threat to the United States and its allies in the region, the establishment of a battlefield command center in Japan has gradually become a “top priority” for the United States Space Force.
According to the report by Nikkei News, on Tuesday (May 28th), Brigadier General Anthony Mastalir, the Indo-Pacific commander of the United States Space Force, stated that they are closely cooperating with the Japanese government to set up a division in Japan. He mentioned that this division will be similar to the one established in South Korea in 2022, located at the Osan Air Base in the southern part of Seoul and consisting of eight members. Mastalir described this as the “baseline” for the envisioned command center in Japan.
While not providing a specific timeframe, Mastalir indicated that there seemed to be “no obstacles” hindering this plan. He highlighted that the recent military exercise named “Keen Edge” conducted by Japan, the United States, and Australia simulated the role of the Japanese Space Force, offering a “very powerful” complement to the joint forces.
During an interview at the Australian Space Summit and Exhibition in Sydney, Mastalir mentioned that the Space Force’s “most important” task in the region is understanding how to protect U.S. and allied forces from the Chinese Communist Party’s “kill chain,” a series of capabilities including target discovery, tracking, attack, and evaluation by the People’s Liberation Army.
“We will complete the formal notification process with the Japanese government, which will include considerations such as base location and personnel numbers. I do not want to skip this process,” stated Mastalir.
He emphasized that over the past five years, Beijing has doubled its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance satellite numbers and invested in directed-energy capabilities, space-based jamming technology, and ground-based anti-satellite missiles, which he labeled as “amazing” growth.
“It is specifically tailored to prevent U.S. intervention in the South China Sea, East China Sea, and projecting power within the Second Island Chain,” remarked Mastalir. The Second Island Chain broadly refers to strategic locations extending from Japan southward to Guam and Papua New Guinea in the Pacific.
Threats from North Korea remain a focus for the organization as well.
On Monday, Pyongyang attempted to launch a rocket carrying a reconnaissance satellite but was unsuccessful. Following the successful launch of a military spy satellite into orbit in November 2023, North Korea plans to launch three military spy satellites in 2024, as per reports from South Korea’s intelligence department, allegedly with technical support from Russia.
Mastalir couldn’t confirm the reports of Russian assistance but expressed concern over increased cooperation among Russia, China, and North Korea, stating, “Please remember that these are authoritarian regimes that repeatedly show zero appreciation for rules-based international order and choose not to engage in many aspects.”
The potential strengthening of ties among these nations raises significant worries regarding regional security dynamics, underscoring ongoing challenges and complex geopolitical relationships.