The Pentagon is reportedly considering halting a planned expansion of U.S. Forces Japan, a key element of Washington¡¯s push to more aggressively counter Chinese military assertiveness, drawing immediate criticism from congressional heavyweights.
According to draft documents seen by and , halting plans to convert USFJ into a joint force headquarters could save about $1.1 billion in costs related to personnel and command and control upgrades. But it could also create ¡°political risk¡± for Washington with Tokyo and reduce the scope of command and control in the Indo-Pacific region as the U.S.-China rivalry heats up.
Asked for comment by The Japan Times, a Defense Department spokesperson said the Pentagon was aware of the reports, but had ¡°no announcements to make on this issue.¡±
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