Pentagon may stop expanding American forces in Japan to save US$1 billion

The United States could stop a planned expansion of its forces in Japan as part of efforts to slash Defence Department spending, CNN reported on Wednesday.

If the administration of President Donald Trump goes ahead, it could undermine the ongoing process to upgrade the role of Japan-based US forces amid rising security challenges posed by China and North Korea.

CNN and NBC News, which was first to report that the administration was reconsidering the plan, based on a Pentagon briefing document, said the cancellation could save about US$1 billion.

The halt is one of the options under consideration by the Trump administration to downsize the federal government and reorganise the military’s combatant commands and headquarters, the two media outlets said.

Under the administration of Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden, the US and Japan agreed to improve the command functions of the US forces in Japan to help the allies better coordinate and respond to contingencies.

CNN and NBC News said the other cost-saving plans include merging the US European Command and the US Africa Command into a single structure based in Stuttgart, Germany.