Japan joins military exercises with U.S., UK and France off Guam

Abe is literally drooling for a war

Naumov Danila

Not really. Japan has still right to defend ourselves and our cultural lgacy.

Conspicuous that the Australians are not at the party! Trump does not like the Aussies at the moment.

Just curious. Does anyone know the answer to this:

If a Japanese-registered ship is boarded and detained in international waters, does Article 9 prohibit the dispatch of SDF troops in an attempt to retake the vessel?

If the international status of those waters is unilaterally refuted by the government responsible for the seizure, does Article 9 prohibit such a response?

Article 9 - Japan's most violated.

As a nation that has not fought any wars in over 70 years it is imperative that the JSDF gets as much joint training in with allied nations as they can.

Japanese troops on Saturday took part in amphibious military exercises on the U.S. Pacific island of Guam.

We're worried that the JSDF are being integrated into U.S. forces ever more, making them a detachment of the latter.

In April in 2015, Tokyo and Washington agreed that the primary responsibility for defending Japan's outlying islands should rest with the JSDF, and so the amphibious xercises now being conducted in Guam by some 50 Japanese JSDF members are along the lines of that agreement. 

Poor Japanese taxpayers -- they're shouldering an enormous amount of base maintenance costs for the USFJ, even building a new base for the U.S. Marines in Henoko, Okinawa, naively believing the U.S. forces are here to defend Japan.

These exercises are really not for the individual soldier or even just one group. A soldier will do what they are told and their scope is limited to what their mission is- "cut the wire, ambush a patrol, take the bunker, etc." Although getting familiar with people from around the world is a good thing, plus identification of allies and enemies uniforms, equipment and vehicles. But it is mostly for the generals and those under them to coordinate all that is going on.

Not only do they have to coordinate with their different branches of the military, but then with different nations and their militaries too. Who gets to go first? What are their known tactics or how do they act in intense situations? How fast does it take to translate orders from one to another and then back again to acknowledge said orders? Does all naval ships act the same in war time maneuvers? What are the speeds of their ships? Who has air superiority? Who is firing ahead of the landings? Who has the last say? 

It is hectic with in a single unit, let alone multiple armies spaning multiple nations. Although easier if all Japanese on this side, all Americans on that. So and so there, etc. But all still needs to be coordinated. Or maybe this is all just for a show of force.

John Brown,

An interesting post. But you're just commenting that forces of different nations in alliance must conduct joint exercises in order to coordinate their differences in potential battle scenes. This is like splitting hair, though. All we want to know is why, in disregard of Article 9, Japan's SDF must participate in such joint military exercises that have assaultive by nature

Nobody knows the answer - Article 9 is poorly written and difficult to interpret.

There is sufficient uncertainty that when a Japanese vessel was carrying processed uranium/plutonium from Europe in the 1990s and there were fears of terrorist attack, rather than use the MSDF to escort it, a special MSA vessel was built and MSA detachment trained to act as escort.

While the western powers and Nippon trains for war, China is advocating a "win-win" cooperation and partnerships sans confrontation.

"We should foster a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation, and we should forge partnerships of dialogue with no confrontation and of friendship rather than alliance," President Xi said.

The timing of these war training with China's peace for all 'Belt and Road ' event is just like the launching of Kim's new toy.

But of course western and right wing media will just focus and super hype Pyongyang's missiles while the warmongers covers their face to justify their self created reason for intervention in their own scripted access denial to sea lanes scenario.

All these while Amerika continues to colonize our sacred Ryukyus despite massive open declarations by the sovereign Ryukyuan people for them squatters to depart to Guam where they rightly belong.

These guys will want to do better in the camouflage area as they are wide open to head shots so helmet nets and gun camouflage would go a long way towards their protection .

When you cannot be seen you have the advantage .

All you arm chair generals and pacifists, just keep your heads buried in the sand, while the chinese land on whatever outer islands they want, from Japan, and of course, Lil' Kim.