26 March 2013/14 Jumada l-Ula 1434/06 Farvardin 1391/15 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

The Japanese Ground Self Defense Forces (GSDF) have moved their headquarters onto the U.S. Army’s Camp Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture.  Camp Zama (FAC 3079) is the HQ of the U.S. Army component of U.S. Forces Japan.

The move was publicized in U.S. military media outlets at the end of February.  The Japanese Air Self Defense Forces (ASDF) HQ moved onto their new location, on Yokota Air Base (FAC 3013), with the U.S. Air Force last April.

Japanese media reports the moves were planned back in 2005-06.  Japanese and U.S. military officials say it’s all part of the plan to realign U.S. and Japanese forces for what is expected to be the next big “security challenges”.

Already Japanese elected (not, because Japanese courts have ruled successive elections void and unconstitutional) members of the Diet have already amended their U.S. imposed constitution to allow Japanese military to take part in ‘peacekeeping’ operations. Just last week Prime Minister Abe told President Obama they would have to amend it again to allow for their personnel to be used in combat alongside U.S. personnel  (the Japanese media reported that Obama asked for Japanese troops in case of a new war with Korea).