The government will likely stipulate in the National Defense Program Guidelines it plans to draw up in December a strengthening of functions of the Joint Staff Office, The Yomiuri Shimbun had learned.
The measure is aimed at more smoothly carrying out the Self-Defense Forces' operations in case of a military contingency.
Specifically, the government is considering newly establishing the post of special command officer who assists the chief of staff of the Joint Staff -- the top uniformed officer in the SDF -- according to sources.
The Joint Staff Office is in charge of managing operations of the Ground Self-Defense Force, Maritime Self-Defense Force and Air Self-Defense Force in an integrated fashion in dealing with ballistic missiles and the defense of remote islands. It commands the SDF in line with the orders of the defense minister and formulates defense buildup guidelines.
Under the envisioned reorganization of the Joint Staff Office, the number of vice chiefs of staff, who assist the chief of staff, will be increased from the current one to three. In case of a military contingency, one of the three vice chiefs of staff will take command of the GSDF, MSDF and ASDF on behalf of the chief of staff, the sources said.
The chief of staff, who supervises the GSDF, MSDF and ASDF, is also in a position to assist the defense minister.
When North Korea launched a series of ballistic missiles in 2016 and 2017, Adm. Katsutoshi Kawano, the chief of staff, took command of missile defense. He also explained the situation to the prime minister and other Cabinet members at the Prime Minister's Office.
The reorganization of the Joint Staff Office, if realized, will involve a division of roles, with the chief of staff serving as a liaison within the government and an acting chief of staff conveying orders from the defense minister to the GSDF, MSDF and ASDF.
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