Japan Press Weekly

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2016 September 14 - 20 [US FORCES]

US military in Japan intends to mobilize Japanese firms for military operations

The U.S. military in Japan is trying to deploy Japanese companies to assist in the transportation of military vehicles and equipment, such as ammunition, necessary for the U.S. Marine Corps’ training exercises on mainland Japan, Akahata learned on September 18.

Akahata reported that the U.S. military on September 13 began soliciting bids from Japanese firms for a transportation contract related to the USMC military drills which will regularly be held in preparation for overseas military operations.

Successful bidders will sign a one-year contract to transport military vehicles and military equipment from the U.S. Yokota base in Tokyo, the U.S. Sasebo base in Nagasaki, and five other U.S. bases in Japan to the U.S. Marine Corps Camp Fuji (Shizuoka Prefecture) near Mt. Fuji when the USMC conducts military exercises there. The military cargo will include items such as ammo, TNT, and classified materials in addition to fuel.

The transport assignment by Japanese companies will contribute to enlarging the scale of the USMC training exercises which will take place under simulated combat. Such drills are directly connected with military operations abroad. Furthermore, the seven major U.S. bases have the capability to send U.S. marines to anywhere in the world by air or by ship.

The U.S. military’s move indicates their intent to increase the use of Japanese companies in military fields such as transportation of military personnel and military equipment.