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Japan, U.S. conduct joint drills involving 52 aircraft

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Including aircraft that flew several times

that’s 52 planes, some flying several times at a fuel cost of $40000~50000 an hour. Just to aggressively harass our neighbor who has done nothing wrong to us?

-14 ( +6 / -20 )

Try dropping some dummy bombs off shore the sandbars with buildings on 'em.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Thank you for continuing to destabilize peace in the region and bringing us ever closer to a third world war only to please the pathetic interventionist whims from a decadent country that will soon lose its first place in the world to China..

-13 ( +6 / -19 )

I hope they practiced one-on-one Dissimilar Air Combat Training, a good opportunity I would have thought.

Rodney, it is the not so peaceful neighbours who are harassing peaceful Japan, ergo the need to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.

TokyoLiving, the only ones destabilising peace in the region and elsewhere are the vicious triumvirate or russia, China (or West Taiwan) and the crackpot kingdom previously known as North Korea.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

that’s 52 planes, some flying several times at a fuel cost of $40000~50000 an hour. Just to aggressively harass our neighbor who has done nothing wrong to us?

It's a lot less costly than ending up like Ukraine. Deterrence is always less costly than the wars that result from looking weak and easily defeated.

13 ( +17 / -4 )

@desert.

you can’t compare it to Ukraine. On top of military aid zelensky is demanding $8billion a month for his salaries. Then there is the two trillion for rebuilding.

we are being pushed into a war with China and NK and Russia. Japan will be the proxy war location. Do you really think we will have govt salaries paid and reconstruction paid? It will be about $100trillion. Who will give that to us?

-9 ( +5 / -14 )

The best way for peace is to make aggression extremely costly to the instigators, so they never try.

"Walk softly, but carry a big stick."

7 ( +12 / -5 )

You can’t compare it to Ukraine.

You completely missed my point. Because Ukraine didn't have what appeared to be a large, well equipped and well trained military to protect their land they looked like easy pickings to the Russians. If Ukraine was equipped along the lines of the Finns with their large, well equipped and well trained land force and a modern air force with long range cruise missiles (Finland has F/A-18s equipped with JASSM missiles and is in the process of taking delivery of 64 new F-35As) the Russians would have never dared invade.

The same is true wrt Japan. If Japan appears weak and easily dominated and the US commitment looks indecisive the Chinese will move to take Japanese territory like the Senkaku Islands and possibly Okinawa. Exercises like these afford the opportunity for US and Japanese forces to train together as a team, just as any successful team must train, but it also shows other nations that the US and Japan have the capacity to defend Japan's territory and defeat any attempt to take Japanese territory by force. The expense of such exercises is vastly less than the costs of the war that results from being perceived as weak and easily defeated.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

we are being pushed into a war with China and NK and Russia.

If your forces are obviously well trained and well equipped the Chinese and Russians will not start a war with you. It is as simple as that.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Walk softly, but carry a big stick."

"Speak softly and carry a big stick - you will go far" is the actual quote.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

On a related note, I couldn't help but notice that the N. Koreans got their undies in a bunch when the South and the US did an "elephant walk" with the F-35 last week.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

The best and least costly way to prevent a war is to maintain a deterrence that makes aggression by the enemy too costly for them to carry out.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

All those crying foul regarding the quite necessary show of force, might I suggest you will be crying much louder if China, N. Korea and/or Russia decide Japan is an "easy" target. Peace is not free as long as there are those that covet what they do not yet control. Case in point: Ukraine and Taiwan.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

any outcome from it?

what was costs of all of this we have to pay by our taxes for?

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

The only people who are against the US-JPN military alliance are CCP supporters. Who pretend to be concerned about Japanese taxes. LOL

6 ( +10 / -4 )

any outcome from it?

They need to fly and be seen. Lest they be like what China does to make 7 planes on a carrier appear like 60.

Pilots, mechanics, C&C all need practice. The flight hours are necessary training. The closer any exercise is to the real event, the better. Some militaries have terrible equipment maintenance. A world class military has 75+% of the equipment ready to be used, not in maintenance. That's a difficult target to achieve.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

WilToday  02:18 pm JST

My solution?? Arms control and trust building measures on both sides. Rather than evertyone getting a bigger stick, everyone should get smaller sticks.

That's a great idea. As soon as you get Putin and Xi to agree, let us know. And a way to verify their compliance.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

WilToday  02:31 pm JST

OssanAmerica

And for a way to verify their compliance?? You are aware that we have done things like this before right? Not even that, we are still actively doing it. Once again, not claiming that it will be easy, but let's not put up this false argument that "it can't be done".

https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/1/5/14127.pdf

And how successful has it been? Be honest please.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Please stop it, you are only provoking our biggest trading partners and our friends, if you want them to be.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

RodneyToday 07:43 am JST

Including aircraft that flew several times

that’s 52 planes, some flying several times at a fuel cost of $40000~50000 an hour. Just to aggressively harass our neighbor who has done nothing wrong to us?

Why on earth would anyone say Japanese air self defense force planes training is to "aggressively harass" anyone, and yet when Russia and China train near Japanese territorial waters you question why the story is published at all and do not make similar comments that they do so to aggressively harass Japan?

You comment as if your Japanese yet you ALWAYS seem to comment in favor of "our neighbor". Why is that?

I make no secret that I am against autocrats, despots and single party rule. People who profess to be Japanese but support wholeheartedly a foreign nation over their own is disturbing.

These drills were nowhere near any neighbors territory and was held in Japanese territory and perhaps overlapping into international airspace. They have every right to do so and they harass nobody at all. Training is constantly required to get the most out of pilots and equipment and to ensure interoperability with your only ally.

Aimed at enhancing the ASDF's "tactical technique and the capabilities of joint Japan-U.S. actions in response" to armed attacks,

Such training and drills are very important to ensure pilots, crews and ground crews can do exactly what is needed in the worst case of conflict or defending against attacks by anyone. It will be much too late to train once you have been attacked, you need the knowledge and experience before then.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

AndyToday 04:17 pm JST

Please stop it, you are only provoking our biggest trading partners and our friends, if you want them to be.

Why should Japan stop when China and Russia continue do it and provoke Japan?

Shouldn't you be asking them to stop provoking Japan? Japan has a pacifist constitution but those who provoke Japan do not. Japan can not attack anyone but those who continually provoke Japan could attack any time they choose, as they are not bound by constitutional restraints.

Perhaps you should comment in support of Japan and have those who aggravate and provoke Japan, who also have larger military's and nuclear weapons, stop entering Japan's waters with military vessels and planes and ask that they act in a friendly manner rather than in a belligerent way as they currently do. That would be a constructive post.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

DT,if you not an American,you do not have a big stick,but an olive branch

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

what China does to make 7 planes on a carrier appear like 60.

It was the Russians who did that when the first Kiev class aircraft cruiser deployed. They had 7 Yak-38 VSTOL aircraft on board, but each time one landed it was struck below and a new number painted on the nose before it was flown again.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

U S making these countries buy these F 35, knowing lots of these foreign policies will not be proficient in their use,I thought the stealth bombers with their JDAMS was American first line of defense

You have no idea what the F-35 can do or its mission. If you think it is a traditional fighter you are misinformed. There are 8 other nations besides the US who spent their taxpayers hard earned and helped develop that aircraft and who make specific assemblies. Advancements in ground based air defense systems drove its specification. Now as more nations learn what it can do and compare it to everything else on the market they line up to buy them. Even Canada and Germany who has long rejected buying the F-35 changed their minds in light of developments with Russia and China. You are not qualified to receive the brief that potential buyers receive so you do not know the truth in this matter.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

In the 1,500 years of China, Japan recorded history can you point to one example of China attacking Japan or occupying Japanese territory?

China's boundaries have been defined since the early 18th century with an "adjustment" being made because of Russian imperialism in the northwest in the later half of the 19th century and the independence of Mongolia in the early 20th century.

The same is true wrt Japan. If Japan appears weak and easily dominated and the US commitment looks indecisive the Chinese will move to take Japanese territory like the Senkaku Islands and possibly Okinawa

0 ( +0 / -0 )

deanzaZZRToday  01:12 am JST

In the 1,500 years of China, Japan recorded history can you point to one example of China attacking Japan or occupying Japanese territory?

Yuan Dynasty 1274 and 1281 attempted to invade Japan. Both failed.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

DT,if you not an American,you do not have a big stick,but an olive branch

Lots of countries have a big enough stick to act as a deterrent. Israel for example with its large military, proven combat history and nuclear missiles capable of hitting any regional enemy, but also Iran. Yes Iran. Iran's ally Hezbollah, armed with tens of thousands of Iranian made missiles, effectively has Israel check mated. Iran also funds and to an extent arms Hamas in the Gaza, an interesting relationship in that Hamas is Sunni and a militant arm of the Muslim Brotherhood who are in turn sworn enemies of the Shiites, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend in this instance. Between the two Iran has Israel effectively corralled. If Israel moves against Iran, Hezbollah opens the gates of hell pounding Israeli cities with thousands upon thousands of their missiles, more than Iron Dome can even begin to defeat. Israel lost badly trying to take out Hezbollah in 2006 and won't try it again. Iran has a big stick unfortunately. Russia and China of course also have big sticks, but Argentina found out the hard way that so do the Brits. There are still some things from that 1982 war that remain classified because the Brits have some stuff they are not advertising.

Japan does too in the form of the JMSDF and JASDF. You might disparage them but they are widely seen as the second or third most powerful naval and air forces in Asia, depending on whether or not you include the USN and USAF in that calculus. They are much better equipped and trained than the Russians. If like I have you had ever operated with them you would know how good they are and how well respected they are even by their adversaries. Stuff you don't read about in the press when a Japanese destroyer sits on a Chinese sub for two days straight harassing it with active sonar while the destroyers helos drop active sonobuoys on her. Two long days nobody on the Chinese sub can get any rest because they are being pounded by the sound of sonar. Of course in a war that sub would have been sunk in minutes and the crew knows it. I have seen both the PLAN and JMSDF up close and personal. The PLAN is not even close to the JMSDF in terms of equipment and training. All I can say is when you see a PLAN ship as I have you see a navy that has never fought a naval war since the age of sail, and it lost badly that time. You operate from a Japanese ship, walk her decks and see inside and you see a navy that has fought wars, lost ships and learned the lessons inherent. They are ready for combat and ready to absorb hits and survive. The PLAN, not so much. When you see roll around office chairs in a combat ship you wonder how much time they have spent in the open ocean with big three and four meter swells. You see false overheads, flush office style lighting and paneling and you just shrug your shoulders thinking I guess they are not going to fight fires after a hit, just jump overboard.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I didn't know you had a sense of humor. Good for you. Kublai says 'hi'.

Yuan Dynasty 1274 and 1281 attempted to invade Japan. Both failed.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@deanzaZZR

In the 1,500 years of China

Uh...you don't know China is close to 5,000 yrs old ?

Japan recorded history can you point to one example of China attacking Japan or occupying Japanese territory

Attempted to invade Japan both failed

You asked about attacking not invading or winning !

There's a difference.

China has definitely attacked Japan ! ! !

Don't be so aggressively pantomathic and ignorant .

Most recently would be the sino Japanese wars with China.

What are you trying to prove anyway ??

What's your point ?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@deanzaZZR

7 July 1937 China fought Japan with the aid from the Soviet Union ,Britain , and the USA.

As a result was Chinese victory as part of the allied victory and the surrender of Japanese forces in mainland China

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Kyo wa heiwa dayo ne

7 July 1937 China fought Japan with the aid from the Soviet Union ,Britain , and the USA

NO not eaxctly. Nazi germany was the country that provided the aid to China nut later Germany refrained to help China due to her alliance with Japan. Instead it was the Soviet Union provided aid to China from 1938-1941. U.S. provided aid from Pearl harbour was attacked until the end of the war. UK never provided aid to China, forget it !

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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