Report on Japanese Military Power 2012 (11)

VI. Organizational Amendments

In 2012, institutional and organizational amendments in Japanese Ministry of Defense and the JSDF focus on the following three categories. As guided by 2010 NDPG and 2011 MTDP, most of the amendments were completed in 2012. Changes aimed at improving the integration of Japanese and U.S. command for anti-missile and rapid response operations, improving JGSDF mobility and rapid response, and strengthening leading organs for planning and foreign cooperation, are worthy of special attention.

A. Integration with U.S. military command systems. In March 2012, Air Defense Command, JASDF moved from Fuchu Air Base to Yokota Air Base, headquarters for the 5th Air Force, USFJ. This relocation, detailed in the U.S.-Japan Roadmap for Realignment Implementation in 2006, is aimed at improving contingency liaison and decision-making between the JSDF and USFJ regarding missile defense. Air Defense Command, JASDF created a Bilateral and Joint Operations Coordination Center (BJOCC) to facilitate Japan and U.S. sharing of information collected by early-warning satellites, ground radars and airborne warning and control systems. The FY 2012 defense budget also plans to continue to push for relocation of the JGSDF Central Rapid Response Command to Camp Zama, the headquarters of USFJ to enhance command coordination between the JSDF and USFJ. The relocation was completed in March, 2013.

B. Force modernization and base realignment. According to the FY2012 defense budget, the 4th Division of the Western Army and the 12th Brigade of the Eastern Army will be reorganized into rapid response division (brigade). The chemical protection units which used to be part of each brigade are directly affiliated to the brigade now. The 14th Brigade which was reorganized from the 2nd Mixed Regiment in 2006 was relocated from the Kochi Prefecture to the Tokushima Prefecture in March, 2012.

C. Internal reorganization within the defense establishment. To promote the implementation of the Roadmap for Structural Reform of Defense Capability and to improve policy making, in April, 2012, the Ministry of Defense began reorganization. A defense policy officer was added to the Department of Defense Policy under the Bureau of Defense Policy. An Office of Maintenance Planning was established within the Department of Facility and Maintenance under the Bureau of Finance and Equipment to provide policy support for reorganization of the defense establishment. At the same time, to promote defense cooperation between Japan and the U.S. in general and coordination of USFJ reorganization in particular, the Section of U.S. Army Realignment was created within the Department of Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation under the Bureau of Defense Policy. Also, to promote defense cooperation between Japan and Asian countries, the 3rd Section of Operational Policy was created within the Department of International Cooperation of the Bureau of Operational Policy. Besides, the Bureau of Personnel and Education, National Defense Academy and some other agencies within the Ministry of Defense have also carried out institutional adjustments in order to improve administrative management in personnel reform and military education.

Apart from reforms mentioned above, the Japanese government has planned to significantly reform the command system of the Ministry of Defense. It is also considering the establishment of Secretary for Defense Review, a deputy-ministerial post in addition to Minister of Defense, Deputy Minister of Defense, and Parliamentary Secretary for Defense. But such an amendment to the “Organization of the Ministry of Defense Act” failed to pass into law in the 177th and 180th Congress.

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