Japan’s overworked defence ministry plans first new bureau since 2007

The ‘long overdue’ move is expected to boost the defence ministry’s capacity to work more closely with allies and ease operational strain

The new unit will be under the defence ministry to oversee international coordination with like-minded countries, according to government and political sources cited by local media earlier this month.

The move is said to be aimed at strengthening the ministry’s capacity to work more closely with allies amid what Tokyo sees as an increasingly challenging security environment.

Local reports cited “military threats” from North Korea, Russia and China as the basis for Japan’s urgency to “strengthen cooperation with countries in Southeast Asia and Europe in order to maintain deterrence”.

The planned bureau is expected to handle the transfer of defence equipment to partner countries and negotiate agreements between Japan’s Self-Defence Forces (SDF) and foreign militaries.