NSA Liaison in Tokyo Opens New Office

DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL (S//SI//REL) NSA Liaison in Tokyo Opens New Office FROM: SUSLAJ Chief of Staff Run Date: 10/23/2007 (S//SI//REL) The NSA liaison to Japan (SUSLAJ) moves offices to the US Embassy in Tokyo (pictured at right), allowing him to coordinate more closely with the Ambassador and with other IC reps... (S//SI//REL) The Special US Liaison Advisor Japan's (SUSLAJ) cover office in downtown Tokyo was officially closed this month. Formerly known as the 5th Air Force Technical Liaison Office, located at Hardy Barracks, it had been the center of gravity in managing NSA's longstanding SIGINT relationship with the Government of Japan. NSA and Japan's Directorate for SIGINT (DFS) have had a SIGINT relationship whose origin dates back to the 1950s. (S//SI//REL) In order to take NSA's relationship with Japan to the next level, SUSLAJ has opened a brand new satellite office inside the US Embassy in Tokyo and moved significant operational components of the Third Party mission with DFS to SUSLAJ's main facilities on Yokota Air Base (28 miles northwest of Tokyo). This new office in the Embassy (known as SUSLAJ-Tokyo) will allow NSA to improve its ability to coordinate with the US Ambassador and US Intelligence Community representatives on bilateral intelligence activities conducted with Japan and to ensure the Embassy is receiving the first class SIGINT support it needs. (S//SI//REL) , Chief SUSLAJ, and Ambassador Thomas Schieffer, US Ambassador to Japan, commemorating the opening of SUSLAJ-Tokyo's new office (S//SI//REL) SUSLAJ closed the cover office at Hardy Barracks due to force-protection issues with the location of the facility, a determination that cover operations are no longer required, and an effort to establish closer collaboration with other US Intelligence Community representatives in Tokyo. (S//SI//REL) NSA's partnership with Japan continues to grow in importance along with the overall US Government's renewed emphasis on its strategic alliance with Japan. The 2005 signing of the Security Consultative Committee Document by the US Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense and their Japanese counterparts set forth a policy, and follow-on initiatives, to establish common strategic objectives, review roles and missions and capabilities, and the realignment of forces for an enduring US presence in Japan. NSA and Intelligence Community have a significant role in supporting these initiatives by ensuring the enhancement of information sharing and intelligence cooperation between the US and Japan is accomplished and that Japan is taken to the next level as an intelligence partner with the US. (U//FOUO) Note: NSA's presence in the US Embassy in Tokyo is not classified. However, the fact of this presence is FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY and the office goes by the name "DoD Special Representative Japan-Tokyo" in unclassified channels. (U//FOUO) This article is reprinted from the FAD Digest, October edition.