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United States Forces Japan
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<p>The United States Forces Japan (USFJ) (<a href="/facts/Japanese_language/EEv485a5">Japanese</a>: 在日米軍, <a href="/facts/Hepburn_romanization/WreK5qPy">Hepburn</a>: <i><i>Zainichi Beigun</i></i>) is a subordinate <a href="/facts/Unified_combatant_command/GhMUXheg">unified command</a> of the <a href="/facts/United_States_Indo-Pacific_Command/eeqQM4dU">United States Indo-Pacific Command</a>. It was activated at <a href="/facts/Fuch%25C5%25AB_Air_Base_(Tokyo)/AR3BpsJU">Fuchū Air Station</a> in <a href="/facts/Tokyo/GTvuw4ct">Tokyo</a>, Japan, on 1 July 1957 to replace the <a href="/facts/Far_East_Command_(United_States)/tNLXTdSF">Far East Command</a>. USFJ is headquartered at <a href="/facts/Yokota_Air_Base/7TYyFC6U">Yokota Air Base</a> in Tokyo and is commanded by the Commander, U.S. Forces Japan who is also commander of the <a href="/facts/Fifth_Air_Force/ljyyGy3X">Fifth Air Force</a>. Since then, it is the first and only sustained presence of a foreign military on Japanese soil in its <a href="/facts/History_of_Japan/XYqQMJCQ">history</a>. </p><p>USFJ oversees U.S. military personnel, assets, and installations in Japan, including approximately 55,000 active-duty servicemembers and 15 major bases. USFJ supports U.S. responsibilities under the <a href="/facts/Treaty_of_Mutual_Cooperation_and_Security_between_the_United_States_and_Japan/L1WCT9hf">Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan</a>, and its activities are governed by the <a href="/facts/U.S.%25E2%2580%2593Japan_Status_of_Forces_Agreement/cjsw8wGe">Status of Forces Agreement</a> between the United States and Japan. The command plays a major role in security-related coordination and dialogue with the <a href="/facts/Government_of_Japan/HSvEeNXN">Government of Japan</a> and the <a href="/facts/Japan_Self-Defense_Forces/teNPuETA">Japan Self-Defense Forces</a>. </p><p>In July 2024, the <a href="/facts/United_States_Department_of_Defense/dWAvf7e3">U.S. Department of Defense</a> announced that USFJ would be upgraded to a "joint operational headquarters", a move <a href="/facts/United_States_Secretary_of_Defense/K3ygWDbv">U.S. Secretary of Defense</a> <a href="/facts/Lloyd_Austin/d2LYmA1o">Lloyd Austin</a> characterized as "the most significant change to U.S. Forces Japan since its creation". </p>