The U.S. Space Force activated its sixth service component, United States Space Forces – Japan (USSPACEFOR-JPN) at Yokota Air Base, Japan, 4 December 2024. USSPACEFOR-JPN presents forces and space expertise under U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific (HQ USSPACEFOR-INDOPAC) in direct support of U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ).

U.S. Space Forces–Japan ensures space forces can plan, integrate, coordinate, and execute efforts in Japan on behalf of USSPACEFOR-INDOPAC to best support U.S. partnership agreements with Japan, deepen integration with Japanese space counterparts, and meet dynamic regional challenges to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The establishment of USSPACEFOR-JPN reinforces defense leaders’ commitments at the July 2024 Security Consultive Committee “2+2” to strengthen bilateral coordination on cross-domain operations, including cyber, space, and electromagnetic warfare (EW), recognizing the importance of all these domains to future concepts of deterrence and response capabilities, strengthening the alliance in a critical growth area for Japan.