The Defense Agency plans to centralize the Self-Defense Forces' command structure into a new 650-strong joint staff organization, modeled after the joint staff of the U.S. military, agency sources said Sunday.
The agency hopes the new mechanism would enable speedy responses to terrorist attacks, more efficient overseas deployment and a smooth introduction of a missile defense system, the sources said.
The chief of the new joint staff would be given command authority over all three forces and would be assisted by a deputy chief. Under the current Joint Staff Council, the chief only has command over troops formed by at least two SDF branches.
The envisioned mechanism would establish six departments under the chief and deputy chief, including an operations department that manages troops and an integrated intelligence department for information-gathering and analysis.
Scheduled to start in early 2006, the new joint staff team would have more than double the personnel of the estimated 300-member secretariat of the current Joint Staff Council. Personnel plans are being discussed by the staff offices of the air, ground and maritime services.
Analysts said they believe the increase in occasions for the SDF to support the U.S. military since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States prompted the agency to expedite procedures to integrate the three SDF branches.
The new organization, given similarities to the U.S. model, is likely to enable the U.S. forces to utilize SDF support more easily.
The new joint staff would have about 130 people in the operations department, 100 in the integrated intelligence section, 60 in defense planning, 230 in communications and electronics, 60 in supplies and 70 in general affairs, according to the sources.