No Decision on U.S. Forces Japan's Command Relocation: Min.

Tokyo, Nov. 15 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani on Friday said that no decision has been made on U.S. Forces Japan's reported command relocation to central Tokyo.

"Details will be discussed in a Japan-U.S. working group after consideration in the United States," he also told a news conference.

The U.S. newspaper Stars and Stripes reported on Tuesday that U.S. Forces Japan is considering moving its command from its Yokota base in Tokyo's western suburbs to central Tokyo.

The relocation would support cooperation with the Self-Defense Forces' joint operations command, to be set up in the Ichigaya district in central Tokyo at the end of fiscal 2024.

As part of efforts to build a closer relationship with the SDF, U.S. Forces Japan is reorganizing itself including by creating a joint force headquarters with some operational authority.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]