USAF established warfighting headquarters at U.S. Yokota AB in Tokyo

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

USAF established warfighting headquarters at U.S. Yokota AB in Tokyo

Akahata has learned that the U.S. Air Force established a warfighting headquarters called "Kenney Headquarters-Japan" (Detachment 1, 13th Air Force) with about 50 personnel on January 5 at the U.S. Yokota Air Base in Tokyo, where both the U.S. Forces in Japan and the U.S. Air Force in Japan (Fifth Air Force) are headquartered.

The "Kenney Headquarters" (13th Air Force) was established in Hawaii in June 2005 as one of the 10 USAF warfighting headquarters to be established worldwide in accordance with the preemptive attack strategy of the Bush administration.

This headquarters, with the "Kenney Headquarters-Japan" as its detachment, is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing air operations throughout the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean regions, excluding the Korean Peninsula.

In reply to Akahata inquiries, the U.S. Forces in Japan Headquarters stated, "The detachment is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing air operations in and around Japan by working with the 613th Air and Space Operations Center in Hawaii and the 5th Air Force staff at Yokota to coordinate with their Japan Air Self-Defense Force counterparts," stressing the need to increase its ties with the JASDF.

The "Kenney Headquarters-Japan" is planning to integrate the U.S. forces and the Self-Defense Forces through the Missile Defense programs.

At the "Kenney Headquarters-Japan" inaugural ceremony at Yokota AB on January 5, "Kenney Headquarters" Commander Loyd Utterback stressed the need for the U.S. and Japan to increase their collaboration, starting on the MD, with the whole Asia-Pacific region in mind.

He stated that the Headquarters will facilitate the incorporation of the capabilities of the Hawaii-based 613th Air and Space Operations Center (AOC), which serves as the nerve center of air operations, to the Fifth Air Force and the JASDF. This may lead the JASDF to automatically take part in MD operations based on 613th AOC's information and plans.

The commander is pushing forward the integration between the U.S. Air Force and the JASDF, taking advantage of the planned relocation of the JASDF Air Defense Command, which commands the SDF's MD operations among others, in FY 2010 from Fuchu City in Tokyo to the U.S. Yokota AB.

The "Kenney Headquarters" commander commanded the Japan-U.S. joint exercises "Cope North" that took place in June 2006 in Guam. This also suggests a growing danger that the SDF will be involved in U.S. invasions in the Asia-Pacific region under the command of Kenney Headquarters.
- Akahata, January 28, 2007