Tokyo, Nov. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Defense Ministry is mulling over a proposal to integrate the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Northeastern Army into the Eastern Army and dissolve the Northeastern Army’s headquarters, several government sources have told Jiji Press. The proposal is aimed at improving operational efficiency and securing personnel, following the establishment of the Joint Operations Command, which oversees the Ground, Maritime and Air SDF. Although the ministry is eyeing the proposed reorganization for the end of fiscal 2027, it may face difficulties over coordinating with local governments. Currently, the GSDF divides the country into five regional organizations of the Northern Army, Northeastern Army, Eastern Army, Middle Army and Western Army to conduct defense and disaster response operations. The Northeastern Army is in charge of such operations in Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata and Fukushima prefectures in northeastern Japan. The army’s headquarters in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, oversaw disaster relief operations following the March 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami that hit the northeastern region. If the reorganization is realized, the command functions will be transferred to the Eastern Army’s headquarters in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward. With the integration, the Eastern Army will be in charge of operations of the six northeastern prefectures plus its own existing area of responsibility covering Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Niigata, Nagano, Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures in eastern to central Japan. Units and bases in the northeastern region are expected to be largely maintained. The GSDF regional armies operate under the Joint Operations Command and the Ground Component Command. Divisions and brigades are placed under such regional armies. The increasing complexity of the chain of command and the need to secure personnel for headquarters functions were highlighted as issues when the Joint Operations Command was launched in March 2025. In June this year, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in a proposal called for reducing the number of intermediate headquarters. In March 2025, the MSDF’s Ominato District, based in Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture, was integrated into the Yokosuka District in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo. Following strong local calls to maintain the organization, the MSDF newly set up the Ominato Area Command, maintaining personnel levels and creating the post of area commander. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
