WASHINGTON: The Japanese and US governments are planning the biggest upgrade to their security alliance since their security treaty was revised in 1960, the Financial Times reported Sunday.

The plan, mainly to restructure the US military command in Japan, will be announced on the occasion of a summit between Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio and US President Joe Biden at the White House slated for April 10, the British daily said in an electronic edition.

The two leaders are expected to agree on stronger coordination between Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the US military in light of China’s increasingly hegemonic moves.

In Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary HAYASHI Yoshimasa told a press conference Monday local time, “We are discussing strengthening cooperation related to command and control in order to enhance interoperability and readiness between Japan and the United States.”

The Financial Times reported that Tokyo has demanded Washington grant greater authority to US Forces Japan. Currently, Japan needs to work with the US Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii to plan operations and conduct joint exercises.

The Biden administration is considering setting up a joint task force attached to the US Pacific Fleet, which is under the jurisdiction of the Indo-Pacific Command, the newspaper said.

US Sen. Jack Reed, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and other people are opposing Japan’s proposal to give greater authority to the commander of US Forces Japan, according to the report.

JIJI Press