Research Theme
This research project aims to examine the past, present, and future security systems of the Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on the U.S. Pacific Command.
It is well known that the U.S. military consists of four services: the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. However, actual combat units are organized into nine ""unified commands."" Six of these nine are regional, and three are functional. The ""U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM)"" is responsible for the Asia-Pacific region. PACOM is said to be the largest of the nine unified commands, comprising 370,000 personnel.
Until now, the presence of U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has drawn attention when considering the security of East Asia, including Japan. However, the USFJ Headquarters and USFK Headquarters are, so to speak, merely field offices of the Pacific Command. In the event of an emergency, it is the PACOM Headquarters, located on Oahu, Hawaii, USA, that commands operations. Symbolically speaking, while the USFJ Commander is a Lieutenant General, the PACOM Commander is an Admiral. The PACOM Commander reports only to the U.S. President and the Secretary of Defense, thus holding immense authority over security in the Asia-Pacific region.
Despite the undeniable importance of the Pacific Command when considering Asia-Pacific security, academic research focusing directly on PACOM is scarce, both in the United States and in other countries. China's maritime expansion and North Korea's nuclear and missile programs continue to destabilize security in the Asia-Pacific region. It is also a region where cyberattacks frequently occur. Security concerning the Pacific must also take into account the presence of Pacific island nations, which consist of islands scattered across the region.
This research project is an attempt to re-examine Asia-Pacific security from a multi-dimensional and multi-faceted perspective. With the appointment of Admiral Harry Harris, a Japanese American, as the PACOM Commander, new developments are unfolding, and we aim to conduct research that also benefits such practical applications. We intend to delve into the fundamental question of what a unified command is within the U.S. military structure, tracing its history of establishment, clarifying its current organizational structure, and providing an overview of its current activities. Furthermore, we will explore how operations would unfold in an emergency in the Asia-Pacific region and what kind of cooperation would take place with U.S. allies such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and the Philippines.
Members
Taiyo Tsuchiya: Professor, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University
Junya Nishino: Professor, Faculty of Law, Keio University
Denny Roy: Senior Fellow, East-West Center, USA
Susumu Nakamura: Visiting Senior Fellow, Keio University Global Research Institute
Mizuho Kajiwara: Visiting Fellow, Keio University Global Research Institute
Achievements
Books
Mizuho Kajiwara, *U.S. Pacific Command: The World's Strongest Group Where Japan and the U.S. Merge*, Kodansha, 2017.
Edited by Taiyo Tsuchiya, *U.S. Pacific Command*, Chikumashobo, 2018.
Working Papers
Taiyo Tsuchiya, ""Organization and History of U.S. Unified Commands – Focusing on the Pacific Command –"" (April 2016).
Research Activities
1st Study Meeting
Date: July 22, 2015, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Venue: East-West Center (Honolulu, Hawaii, USA)
Participants: Taiyo Tsuchiya, Denny Roy, and 3 others
Presentation: Taiyo Tsuchiya: Security Framework in Asia-Pacific Region: Role of U.S. Pacific Command
2nd Study Meeting
Date: November 20, 2015 (Friday), 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Venue: Seminar Room, 4th Floor, East Building, Mita Campus, Keio University
Participants: Taiyo Tsuchiya, Junya Nishino, Denny Roy, Jeffrey Hornung (SPFUSA), and 4 others
Presentations:
Jeffrey Hornung: DKI-APCSS and PACOM as a form of U.S. Soft Power
Denny Roy: Regional Security in East Asia and the Role of PACOM
Taiyo Tsuchiya: History and Organization of U.S. Unified Commands
Junya Nishino: Korean Perspective on PACOM
3rd Study Meeting
Date: March 9, 2016 (Wednesday), 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Venue: East-West Center (Honolulu, Hawaii, USA)
Participants: Taiyo Tsuchiya, Junya Nishino, Denny Roy, and 1 other
Presentations:
Denny Roy: America's Deep Rationale for PACOM
Taiyo Tsuchiya: History and Organization of U.S. Unified Commands
Junya Nishino: Korean Perspective on PACOM
4th Study Meeting
Date: March 20, 2017 (Monday)
Venue: East-West Center (Honolulu, Hawaii, USA)
Participants: Taiyo Tsuchiya, Denny Roy, and 1 other
5th Study Meeting (Co-authored Book Writers' Meeting)
Date: June 27, 2017 (Tuesday)
Venue: Keio University Global Research Institute (KGRI)
Participants: Taiyo Tsuchiya, Junya Nishino, Susumu Nakamura, Mizuho Kajiwara, and 2 others
Symposium
Date: August 22, 2017 (Tuesday)
Venue: East-West Center
Participants: Taiyo Tsuchiya, Denny Roy, Junya Nishino, Susumu Nakamura, and others