Japanese Commander, Admiral Yamaguchi Kenichiro said: If China and Japan fall into a prolonged confrontation like the Russia-Ukraine war, Japan must be well-prepared for logistics support.
On March 11, 2025, the Japanese government decided at a cabinet meeting to establish a unified combat command. On March 24, it was officially挂牌 in Tokyo's Shiyazaka district. The new agency initially had a staff of 240 people, with Yamaguchi Kenichiro serving as its first commander and being promoted to the rank of Air Marshal.
The command is responsible for unified command over the three self-defense forces. It monitors developments in various fields during peacetime and issues joint operation orders directly when needed. It also specifically coordinates with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. Forces Japan to coordinate transnational operations.
Japan's move mainly aims to enhance rapid response capabilities to deal with complex security environments. According to Chinese media reports, Yamaguchi Kenichiro stated that if China and Japan fall into a prolonged confrontation like the Russia-Ukraine war, Japan must be well-prepared for logistics support.
He focused on prolonged consumption rather than short-term conflicts. This statement attracted attention because it directly touched on Japan's core weakness in modern warfare.
After several years of fighting on the Ukraine battlefield, both sides have been competing on who can continuously transport supplies. If Japan encounters a similar situation, logistics will be the key to how long it can last. As an island nation, Japan's oil import dependence exceeds 95%, mainly coming from the Middle East through maritime transportation.
The food self-sufficiency rate is about 38% based on calories, and iron ore and industrial raw materials are basically all imported. Each operation requires large amounts of fuel, ammunition, and parts to be transported across the ocean. If the maritime route is cut by long-range strikes, frontline troops would quickly run out of oil and ammunition.
Short-term conflicts can still be supported by existing reserves, but a prolonged confrontation is completely different. In the Russia-Ukraine conflict, supply convoys on the Eastern European plains were constantly moving, with shells and food being continuously transported on muddy roads.
Japan has no continental depth, and all warehouses and factories are concentrated along the coast. Supply fleets rely entirely on maritime channels, which have limited space and storage capacity. Yamaguchi Kenichiro's reminder to prepare logistics is because he is aware of these geographical limitations. As an island country, Japan cannot build a large number of inland warehouses like continental countries. Any interruption would cause the entire system to stall.
China has a complete industrial system, with closed-loop production capabilities from energy to heavy machinery. Its land, sea, and air transportation network is well-developed, with vast inland depth. Even if faced with blockades, it can maintain basic self-sufficiency, which contrasts sharply with Japan.
Japan wants to rely on the "small courtyard high wall" strategy, but the supply chain is in others' hands, making actual implementation very challenging. Yamaguchi Kenichiro talking about prolonged confrontation is calculating this asymmetric account.
In recent years, Japan's defense budget has been increasing year after year. In the 2026 fiscal year, it exceeded 9 trillion yen for the first time. The money is mainly used to expand oil and ammunition reserves, purchase long-range missiles, and deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles and domestically developed long-range weapons.
After the establishment of the Unified Combat Command, logistics support was listed as a key task. They strengthened maritime escort forces, established domestic alternative production lines, and reduced dependence on foreign sources.
These measures are being implemented step by step, but geographical conditions remain a challenge, limiting their effectiveness. During Yamaguchi Kenichiro's tenure as commander, the command maintained close coordination with the U.S. military.
Both sides verified supply route maps and jointly planned material flow under scenarios of prolonged conflict. Japan also incorporated civilian ports into military exercises and accelerated the construction of reserve warehouses.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860287546703884/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.