Under Trump Pressure, Japan Weighs Sending Additional Liaison Officer to U.S. Central Command

Tokyo Correspondent Seo Hye-jin of Financial News reported on the 18th that the Ministry of Defense of Japan is considering sending an additional liaison officer to U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East region, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun. The move is aimed at strengthening communication between the United States and Japan over the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has continued attacking vessels, and at gaining a more accurate grasp of the latest situation on the ground.
According to multiple government officials, Tokyo is reviewing a plan to assign another liaison officer to the department that plans operations with allied and partner countries.
The Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) have been dispatching a liaison officer to U.S. Central Command since 2002, and one officer is currently stationed there.
The Yomiuri Shimbun noted that, as U.S. President Donald John Trump has been urging Japan and other allies to send naval vessels to help secure the safety of the Strait of Hormuz, the Government of Japan intends to use the liaison deployment to coordinate more smoothly with the U.S. side.

sjmary@fnnews.com Seo Hye-jin Reporter