U.S. Joint Chiefs Chair Pick Vows to Modernize Japan Alliance

Washington, April 1 (Jiji Press)--Retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominated by U.S. President Donald Trump to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pledged Tuesday to modernize the Japan-U.S. alliance.

"If confirmed, I will focus on modernizing our alliance with Japan by aligning strategic planning and priorities in a more integrated manner," Caine told a confirmation hearing at the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"Modernizing the U.S.-Japan command-and-control structure will help maintain a credible deterrent and ensure the alliance's effectiveness in a rapidly changing security environment," he also said.

Caine also showed eagerness to strengthen command-and-control coordination between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military, as well as voicing support for the security cooperation framework of Japan, the United States and South Korea.

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