Japanese and U.S. forces plan to hold joint land, sea and air military exercises in Japan starting Monday (Oct. 26) in response to China’s increased military activity in the region.
The drills, code-named “Razorback-21,” are held every two years. The U.S. and Japan will participate in this year’s exercise with dozens of warships, hundreds of military aircraft, and 46,000 troops from the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. The exercise runs through Nov. 5. For the first time, cyber and electronic warfare training has been added to the exercise program.
This is the first time that Kan has conducted the Razor military exercise since he took over as Japan’s prime minister from Abe last month. Kan said Japan will continue to expand its military forces to counter the growing Chinese threat.
According to military.com, U.S. military forces from the Indo-Pacific Command and the Japan Self-Defense Forces will begin Sharp Sword-21 military exercises on Monday on the Japanese mainland, Okinawa and in waters around Japan.
The U.S. Navy’s USS Reagan Carrier Strike Group, Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) paracopters, First and Fourth Frigates, and the Royal Canadian Navy will practice in formation at sea, with aircraft from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and Japan Self-Defense Force in the air.
Lt. Gen. Kevin Schneider, commander of U.S. forces in Japan, was quoted as saying, “Despite the global impact of the neoconavirus, the U.S.-Japanese alliance is functioning normally and we remain in a winnable position.
Reuters quoted General Koji Yamazaki, Chief of Staff of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF), as saying, “The security situation around Japan is becoming increasingly critical. This military exercise gives us a chance to demonstrate the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance.”
Japan’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Kaga, is participating in the exercise along with the USS Reagan aircraft carrier fleet. The Kaga has just returned from a cruise in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean. As early as next year, the Kaga will be equipped with F-35 stealth fighters.
Kan visited Vietnam and Indonesia this month. This is part of Japan’s efforts to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with the major ASEAN countries. Earlier this month, Japan also hosted the “Asia-Pacific Quad” meeting of the United States, Japan, India and Australia in Tokyo. Washington sees these four countries as forming the basic force to curb China’s growing regional influence. Beijing condemns the four countries’ attempts to form a “mini-NATO” against China.
Recently, China has intensified its military activities around the Senkaku Islands (known in China as the Diaoyu Islands), which are a source of great concern to Japan. The Japanese side is deeply troubled by this.
Both General Yamazaki and General Schneider have expressed Washington’s and Tokyo’s dissatisfaction with China’s aggressive behavior, including not only Chinese military actions in the East and South China Seas, but also China’s brutal enforcement of national security laws in Hong Kong and the PLA’s various military provocations and harassment of Taiwan.
However, China has stated that its actions in the region are for peaceful purposes.
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