Brunson meets with 5th Air Force and U.S. Army Japan leaders

U.S. Army Gen. Xavier T. Brunson, who leads United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea, traveled to Japan on May 20 for meetings with senior U.S. military leaders aimed at advancing regional security cooperation and reinforcing alliance posture across Northeast Asia.

At Yokota Air Base, Brunson met U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Joel “Joker” Carey, commander of 5th Air Force. Carey took command in March as the first dedicated 5th Air Force commander since the position was separated from U.S. Forces Japan. Their discussions covered air domain integration, exercise planning, and the operational interdependence of forces stationed on the Korean Peninsula and in Japan.

Brunson then visited Camp Zama for talks with U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James K. Dooghan, commanding general of U.S. Army Japan, focusing on land power contributions to regional deterrence, sustainment, and combined training opportunities to strengthen interoperability among U.S., Republic of Korea, and Japanese forces.

“The security of the Korean Peninsula does not exist in isolation, and we cannot treat our alliances as isolated silos,” Brunson said. “What we do in Korea is directly linked to what Lt. Gen. Carey and Maj. Gen. Dooghan are doing here in Japan. The strength of our deterrence depends on linking complementary capabilities across our commands so that any adversary faces multiple overlapping dilemmas. Conversations like these sharpen our planning and keep us honest about what readiness actually requires, because there is no substitute for being ready.”

The meetings highlighted the interconnected nature of security challenges in the region and the importance of synchronized planning among U.S. component commands as U.S. Forces Korea and U.S. Forces Japan continue evolving their warfighting postures.