The Commander of the Joint Special Operations Command attends the “Japan Special Operations Forum 2025” in Tokyo

• Meeting of international commanders and experts in the field of special operations to address security challenges in the Indo-Pacific and their impact on the Euro-Atlantic region

Tokyo hosted the Japan Special Operations Forum 2025 at the country's Ministry of Defence headquarters. The event was organised by the Joint Operations Command (JJOC) of the Japan Self-Defence Forces (JSDF). Representing Spain was the Commander of the Joint Special Operations Command (CMCOE), Major General Ángel Ramón Herrezuelo Pérez of the Marine Corps. In addition to sharing reflections and experiences, this meeting has strengthened the ties of cooperation between the special operations forces of both countries — Spain and Japan — and with international partners.

The forum kicked off with a series of high-level lectures addressing the current security environment in the Indo-Pacific area and its connection to the Euro-Atlantic region. First, Major General Hajime Katajima, Director General of the JJOC Operations Department, highlighted the need to strengthen multinational cooperation in the face of regional challenges, particularly threats from China and North Korea. He also presented the recent creation of the JJOC, a permanent joint structure capable of exercising command over different Japanese military units. This organisation includes the Operations section which, among other tasks, leads the Japanese Special Operations Forces in national defence missions, evacuations in crisis areas, the fight against piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Somalia, as well as support in natural disasters.

Next, Dr Katsuya Tsukamoto, head of the National Security Division at Japan's National Institute for Defence Studies, outlined Japan's security strategy based on three pillars: strengthening national defence architecture, consolidating alliances and enhancing cooperation with like-minded countries. For his part, Major General Jeffrey Van Antwerp, Commander of the United States Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC), highlighted the importance of Special Operations Forces in the Indo-Pacific environment and emphasised the use of unmanned systems, cyber defence, electronic warfare and, finally, the support of special operations forces (SOF) in joint targeting processes.

Finally, Major General Oleksander Trepak, commander of Ukraine's SOF, shared his country's recent experiences in the war caused by the Russian invasion. In this context of war, he highlighted that special operations have been very effective in neutralising Russian logistics chains in the rear through kinetic and non-kinetic actions.

As the final event of this important forum, international attendees visited the Japanese Special Operations Forces base at Camp Narashino, on the outskirts of Tokyo. There, different operational teams gave demonstrations of combat shooting, hostage rescue, closed-circuit diving, K9 and UAV units, as well as presentations on the origin, organisation and missions of the Japanese space operations units.

At this forum, Spain's presence reinforces the MCOE's commitment to sharing experiences, international cooperation and strengthening special operations capabilities within the framework of global security.