Japan will set up a new joint command to manage the operations of its land, sea and air forces, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Saturday, as part of a major defence overhaul in the face of China’s increasing assertiveness. The government aims to have the joint command functioning by 2024. It will be tasked with coordinating strategies and boosting Japan’s defence cooperation with the US military, Nikkei reported.
The defence ministry could not be reached for comment outside regular business hours.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government is boosting its military spending in response to China’s growing might and geopolitical uncertainty.
