The Operations Command receives a visit from the Japanese Ambassador to Spain

•  This meeting strengthens ties of cooperation between the armed forces of both countries

The Commander of the Operations Command (CMOPS), Lieutenant General José Antonio Agüero Martínez, accompanied by the Chief of Staff of the Operations Command (JEM MOPS), Vice Admiral Enrique Núñez de Prado Aparicio, welcomed the Japanese Ambassador to Spain, Hiroshi Yamauchi, accompanied by the Japanese Defence Attaché in Spain, Commander Jinta Kikuchi.

The CMOPS explained to Ambassador Yamauchi the organisation of the Spanish Armed Forces, as well as the tasks carried out by the Operations Command within them: monitoring and conducting operations. In his presentation, the CMOPS highlighted the joint and multi-domain vision of the Operations Command, which leads the nearly 6,500 military personnel who demonstrate the Spanish Armed Forces’ commitment to international stability and security.

Lieutenant General Agüero then detailed Spain’s contribution to military missions within the framework of multinational organisations, international coalitions and bilateral agreements, as well as the ongoing operations to defend Spanish sovereign territories.

For the Spanish Armed Forces, the commitment to collective defence is paramount, as evidenced by their contribution to three of NATO’s eight Battle Groups on the eastern flank. Specifically, Spain leads the multinational force deployed in Slovakia — which has recently demonstrated its capacity to scale up to brigade level — and participates in the Battle Group in Latvia, led by Canada, and in the Battle Group in Romania, led by France.

The CMOPS also highlighted Spain’s participation in NATO’s integrated defence initiative, which includes aircraft, radars and air defence systems.

As for the naval effort, the Spanish Navy supports NATO naval groups in the Baltic, which was led by a Spanish rear admiral until April this year (SNMG-1); and in the Mediterranean, in which a Spanish minesweeper participated until the end of May (SNMCMG-2). Likewise, Lieutenant General Agüero noted that the Spanish expeditionary group is currently en route to the United States to take part in the international exercise FLEETEX-250.

According to the Japanese Embassy, this visit reaffirms the growing cooperation between Spain and Japan, which has been strengthened by contact between the CMOPS and its Japanese counterpart at the recently established JJOC (Japanese Joint Operations Command).

In the field of military cooperation, it is worth highlighting the close collaboration between the Spanish military and their Japanese counterparts within the framework of the European Union’s anti-piracy operation ‘Atalanta’.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force is part of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 which, in coordination with the European Union Naval Force ‘Atalanta’, combats piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.