May 27, 2025

At around the time when the Ground Self-Defense Force signed an agreement with a funeral service industry group in case GSDF members died in action, U.S. government officials were making a series of statements pressing Japan to engage in U.S. wars abroad.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on March 30 at a joint press conference after meeting with Japan’s Defense Minister Nakatani Gen said, “Japan would be on the front lines of any contingency we might face in the western Pacific and we stand together in support of each other.”

Hegseth made this statement with a potential “Taiwan contingency” in mind, indicating the U.S. intent to put the GSDF on the front lines in the event of a conflict in the western Pacific.

Prior to this, a Japan-U.S. Summit meeting took place in Washington on February 8 where Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba and U.S. President Trump issued a joint statement in which the two leaders confirmed that they intend to “further strengthen U.S.-Japan deterrence and response capabilities” by “increasing bilateral presence in Japan’s Southwest Islands, increasing readiness through more realistic training and exercises,” and “further enhancing U.S. extended deterrence.”

All these statements were made in the context of a potential war in which Japan’s Nansei (Southwest) Islands would be turned into a war zone. Probably as a result of a specific planning for Japan’s participation in a war involving the U.S. military, the GSDF entered into the agreement with the funeral business organization.

Past related article:
> GSDF contracts with funeral service industry in case of GSDF personnel deaths in battle [May 16, 2025]
> Japan may be put on ‘front lines’ in Taiwan emergency [April 1, 2025]
> JCP EC Chair criticizes PM Ishiba’s submissive stance taken at his first meeting with US President Trump [February 9, 2025]