Information Sharing Between U.S. and Japanese Forces Before, During, and After Operation Tomodachi

Abstract

Operation Tomodachi was a massive joint-relief effort by U.S. and Japanese forces following the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011. The U.S. military—especially the III Marine Expeditionary Force headquartered in Okinawa Prefecture—and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces each had a wealth of experience responding to natural disasters and even collaborating with one another before Operation Tomodachi, although primarily in defense-related exercises. This chapter explores information sharing between U.S. and Japanese forces and looks at both the positive effects of the disaster on the U.S.–Japan security relationship and some of the outstanding issues in disaster cooperation. I argue that it was primarily these pre-existing relationships that made successful cooperation possible and that the absence of prior relationships may have contributed to some missed opportunities.