Working closely with U.S. military counterparts, the Political-Military Affairs Unit ("Pol-Mil Unit") handles all issues associated with the U.S. military presence in Japan, as well as long-term political-military issues related to the U.S.-Japan security relationship. The Pol-Mil Unit represents the Department of State on bilateral structures such as the U.S.-Japan Joint Committee and the Alliance Transformation Oversight Panel. Pol-Mil officers engage the Japanese Diet, security specialists, and defense industry representatives to advance U.S.-Japan security cooperation in areas such as Ballistic Missile Defense and defense technology. Working with Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry colleagues, they are on the front line of defining America's evolving defense relationship with Japan.