USFJ, Fifth Air Force Host Joint Logistics Summit

U.S. military logistics personnel stationed in Japan convened at Yokota Air Base Aug. 27-28, 2025, for the “Theater Service 4 Summit,” which focused on wartime sustainment strategies.

The summit addressed the critical challenges facing military logistics operations while transitioning to a more operational posture and examining supply chain dynamics, and distribution operations across the Pacific theater.

Often referred to as the "G4" or "N4" depending on the branch, the "4" staff, in military parlance, refers to the directorate within a headquarters that handles logistics, engineering, and force protection. These directorates, such as the Army's G4 or the Air Force's A4, are responsible for ensuring their respective services have the resources and support needed to carry out their missions, including supply chain management, transportation, infrastructure and security.

"The big win for us is if people walk away understanding how each service is contributing to the fight, and how we are setting up the theater," said U.S. Air Force Major Daniel McKeown, U.S. Forces Japan J4 host-nation support officer.

The two-day conference, co-hosted by U.S. Forces Japan and Fifth Air Forces’ logistics directorates, brought together representatives from multiple services in the region, including Defense Logistics Agency, U.S. Army Japan, Commander Naval Forces Japan, Marine Forces Japan, and Fifth Air Force.

The summit also included a tour of a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft and Yokota Air Base's aerial port to showcase a sample of what airpower can bring to the logistics table.

"This is a good opportunity to connect everybody and network,” said Lt. Col. Parawee Euavijitearoon, Fifth Air Force A4 deputy director. “It's good for us to get more familiar across our service silos and reach out laterally to the different joint components within the joint forces.”

The event builds on previous efforts to improve logistical coordination, including a similar summit hosted by the Navy's Seventh Fleet at Yokosuka Naval Base. Organizers plan to schedule future summits at different installations twice a year.

“The summit is aligned with the USFJ commander’s priorities, including optimizing force posture, increasing lethality and survivability, and planning for crisis and contingency operations,” said McKeown.

By promoting interoperability, strengthening alliances, and enhancing crisis response capabilities, the summit contributes to the overall effort to counter any threats to regional stability and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.