The True Feelings of the Commander of US Forces Japan

In mid-April, we hosted a luncheon at the Japan National Press Club, inviting Lieutenant General Edward A. Rice Jr., Commander of US Forces Japan. A distinguished African American officer with the rank of lieutenant general, he studied public administration at Harvard University and boasts an impressive military career, including 3,000 hours of jet piloting. He was newly assigned to Japan in February of this year. Some may wonder why we focused on Commander Rice here, but we gained valuable insights from him on two fronts. Firstly, at the beginning of the luncheon, Commander Rice expressed his joy in serving in Japan, stating, "US Forces Japan and their families are genuinely happy to be stationed in Japan. We are delighted to learn about Japan's rich history, culture, and customs."

US forces are stationed in various parts of the world, many of which are exposed to rocket fire and the threat of terrorism. In contrast, Japan is a country with excellent public safety, free from the fear of terrorism, allowing for peaceful daily lives. Lieutenant General Rice, having recently arrived, likely conveyed this sentiment at the outset. While a soldier's profession is to prepare for war, his words perhaps reflected the ideal of peace.

War and Cost Awareness

Regarding the main topic of Japan-US joint issues, he candidly shared his views on the positions and cooperative relationship between the two nations. When questioned about the procurement of essential defense information technology and military equipment, such as weapons, which require substantial funding, Commander Rice responded as follows: "If Japan were to prepare everything from scratch, the cost would be enormous. Entrusting a significant portion to the US military would make the cost incomparably cheaper." While the American economy fundamentally prioritizes cost reduction as the best method, we perceived a similar principle at play in the military sector. The United States is currently mired in the Iraq War, grappling with immense military expenditures.
Warfare is also increasingly tending towards privatization. For instance, dispatch companies recruit truck drivers with offers of wages several times higher than standard US pay to transport goods, such as food supplies and daily necessities for US military personnel, in Iraq. This practice is indeed ongoing.

From the Commander, we gained the impression that cost awareness is essential not only in defense but also in warfare. This was our second profound takeaway. In any case, we were reminded that peace, rather than conflict, is the highest priority. It was a meaningful meeting.