Yokota Air Base is home of U.S. Forces Japan, 5th Air Force and the 374th Airlift Wing in western Tokyo. (Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes)
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — U.S. military bases across the Indo-Pacific have raised security levels as a precaution amid threats tied to the conflict in the Middle East, officials said.
“All installations across U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility raised their Force Protection Condition (FPCON) level as a precautionary measure,” U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in an unsigned email Monday in Hawaii.
Commanders retain authority to further adjust security measures based on local threat assessments, the command said.
“Employees and visitors to installations should plan for increased security measures on the installation and/or longer wait times to access the installation,” the statement said.
For example, U.S. Army Garrison Japan said its force protection level was at Bravo on Sunday, indicating an increased or more predictable threat of terrorist activity, according to a post on the command’s Facebook page.
The Army said additional vehicle inspections and “random security measures” were in effect at its installations, including Camp Zama, headquarters of U.S. Army Japan about 25 miles southwest of Tokyo.
“We appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue working to ensure the safety and security of our community,” the post said.
USINDOPACOM, headquartered in Hawaii, oversees U.S. military operations across a region that spans more than half the globe and includes Australia, the Philippines, Japan and South Korea.
