New U.S. Space Force Headquarters Opens in Tokyo to Combat North Korean and Chinese Threats

The U.S. Space Force will begin operations in Japan on Tuesday at its new headquarters at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo. The announcement, reported by Kyodo News and the Asahi Shimbun, underscores the growing importance of space in regional security.

At a briefing on Tuesday, U.S. Indo-Pacific Space Commander Anthony Mastalir stressed the importance of U.S.-Japan cooperation in countering North Korean missile threats and China’s growing space capabilities. He highlighted China’s advancements in satellite technology, which could potentially be used to track U.S. and allied forces for long-range precision strikes.

This development follows the establishment of the U.S. Space Force in 2019, the activation of U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific in Hawaii in November 2022, and the creation of a U.S. Space Forces Korea component in December of the same year. Mastalir also noted the potential for cooperation with U.S. Space Force units in South Korea, stating that this collaboration would enhance situational awareness on the Korean Peninsula.