In what will be the first such case, Japan and the United States are making arrangements to station Self-Defense Forces officers at key U.S. military organizations near Washington, U.S. government sources said Thursday.
The envisaged dispatch of SDF liaison officers is aimed at gaining firsthand information about U.S. military thinking as well as boosting bilateral cooperation in promptly responding to situations including disasters such as major earthquakes, emergencies in East Asia and pirate attacks, according to the sources.
The exact timing of the dispatch of SDF officers to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and Office of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, has yet to be decided, they said.