DEFENSE OF JAPAN 2020 Defense White Paper DIGEST Chapter 2 United States Overview ● The United States recognizes strategic competition with revisionist powers, namely China and Russia, as the central challenge to U.S. security. Especially, the United States ranks China at the top of its list of priorities and places the greatest emphasis on the security of the Indo-Pacific region to strengthen deterrence against China. ● Under the recognition that nuclear capabilities of North Korea, classified as “rogue regimes” in its strategic documents, constitute an extraordinary threat to the United States, it has maintained sanctions and continues to pursue denuclearization of North Korea, while maintaining strong military readiness of the U.S. forces including U.S. Forces Korea. ● The United States prioritizes the allocation of military forces to the Indo-Pacific region and Europe while reducing forces in the Middle East and Africa. The United States, however, still needs to deal with security issues in the latter regions, which makes it difficult to describe that such transition of the U.S. force posture is smoothly progressing. ● The United States has indicated that certain allies, which are pointed out as bearing a small burden, should bear it appropriately. It has requested NATO member states to swiftly achieve their national defense spending goals, and has required the Republic of Korea (ROK) to shoulder a bigger share of the costs associated with U.S. Forces Korea. ● Amid rising tensions between Iran, the U.S. military killed the commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iraq. In response, Iran launched ballistic missiles towards Iraq bases where U.S. Forces were stationed. ● Against growing tensions in the Middle East, the U.S. military reinforced its posture in the region. Additionally, the United States established the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) and conducted activities by naval vessels and other equipment, along with countries including the United Kingdom. President Trump announcing the Iranian ballistic missile attack in Iraq [U.S. DoD] Trends in Security and Defense Policies ● Based on the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) released in February 2018, the United States modified a portion of its existing SLBM warheads into lowyield warheads. Additionally, the United States conducted test launches of its intermediate-range ground-launched cruise missile and ballistic missile, which had been restricted by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. It also mentioned the necessity for arms control that includes China, which has beefed up medium-range missile capabilities outside the scope of the INF Treaty. ● The United States founded the Space Command as a Unified Combatant Command and then established the Space Force as the sixth branch of its military, within the Department of the Air Force (a new military service established for the first time in 70 years after the establishment of the Air Force). Unveiling the new US Space Force logo [U.S. DoD] Major organizational chart of the DoD Secretary of Defense Department of the Army Department of the Navy Department of the Air Force Joint Chiefs of Staff Secretary of the Army Secretary of the Navy Secretary of the Air Force Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Navy Marine Corps Air Force Space Force Combatant Commands Northern Command Strategic Command Indo-Pacific Command Special Operations Command European Command Transportation Command Southern Command Cyber Command Central Command Africa Command Space Command Digest 16