Release from Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – To support the United States and Japan’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, 12th Marine Regiment will redesignate to 12th Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR) on November 15, 2023. The redesignation will mark the next historic chapter in the Marine Corps’ commitment to designing a force that is prepared to effectively respond to the challenges of the contemporary global security environment and serves as a testament to the regiment’s role in the Marine Corps’ global employment.
This redesignation follows the Joint Statement of the Security Consultative Committee (“2+2”) which announced that 12th Marines would remain in Okinawa and redesignate to 12th MLR by 2025. The statement affirmed the MLR’s purpose to “bolster deterrence and provide a stand-in force that is able to defend Japan and quickly respond to contingencies.”
The Marine Corps remains committed to the basic tenets of the 2012 Defense Policy Review Initiative Realignment Plan. No new units will be added to Okinawa under the agreement. This is strictly a redesignation of an existing unit on Okinawa in accordance with Marine Corps modernization efforts.
12th Marine Regiment is currently participating in exercise Resolute Dragon 23.2, which takes place from October 14-31 across multiple locations in Japan. During Resolute Dragon, 12th Marines will distribute in a similar manner to what is designed for the MLR: They will deploy to Japan’s Southwest Islands, Kyushu, and Hokkaido, provide sensing capabilities in a simulated battlespace, and integrate joint force firepower with our Japanese ally’s capabilities.
