Self-Defense Forces hold drill to repel invaders

This is just another cog in the anti China propaganda wheel to get the gullible believing that China is going to invade Japan. It isn't going to and never will. Meanwhile US occupation forces are still here after WW2.

 It isn't going to and never will. Meanwhile US occupation forces are still here after WW2.

And that is a good thing, right?

Because if the US forces leave Japan, then Japan will have to bump up around 30 times or more its defense forces.

Meaning to basically build a more robust military.... and that for sure won't be good for your masters.

If there's gonna be a military, then may as well train it

Having a military, but not doing trainings, is useless

This is just another cog in the anti China propaganda wheel to get the gullible believing that China is going to invade Japan.

The drill is for preparation of a potential conflict in East Asia as well as for Japan's defense.

This is all based on the behavior of the middle kingdom!!!

Why do you think nearly every country in South China Sea has spent more money on defense recently?

That's right!! The middle kingdom!!!

lol 増税メガネ Imagine your foes if you will.

Such military exercises are set to expand in scope and become more frequent after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in December unveiled a military build-up that will double defense spending over the next five years to bolster Japan's Self Defense Forces against possible adversaries, including China.

“Meanwhile US occupation forces are still here after WW2.”

The US military still controls Japan’s airspace traffic and radio frequencies. Hardly an independent country .

Mr KiplingToday 04:49 pm JST

This is just another cog in the anti China propaganda wheel to get the gullible believing that China is going to invade Japan.

Meantime the training being undertaken by China, which has nobody threatening to invade it, makes Japans preparations for defense look like a boy scout adventure. But by all means put down Japan's need to train its defense forces rather than have them sit around in their barracks polishing their brass.

The simple fact is China is intimidating everyone in the region whether they intend on invading anyone or not. They are continually building more and more ships for their already biggest navy in the world. Xi is constantly telling his military to be ready to fight and to win. Against whom? Nobody is planning on invading China. There is no threat to legitimate Chinese territories. So if they are preparing so hard for conflict, is it not prudent for those around them to wonder if they are a target and to at least take some measures to prepare and to deter?

People will not take the reassurances of uninformed posters on websites that China will not become violent and invade a neighbor as its "good friend" Russia has already done in its neighborhood. Only fools take no precautions in the face of a coming storm. Japan is not a fool, it is wise enough to see what is a possibility and take at least some measure of precaution against it. Well done Japan.

Old man's army in drill !

This is just another cog in the anti China propaganda wheel to get the gullible believing that China is going to invade Japan. It isn't going to and never will. Meanwhile US occupation forces are still here after WW2.

Ah, the old "They'd never invade! This is just propoganda"! Completely disproven words.

Japan doesn't need to shy away from having a big, strong defense force as a deterrent from enemy forces. And it IS a big. strong deterrent, along with the US forces presence.

As China endlessly builds up her military and threatens peaceful nations like Taiwan and the Philippines, it is right that Japan continues to build her Defense forces and her many alliances.

Hold the phone... wasn't the grandiose doubling of the military budget put in some doubt recently by no tax increases to pay for it and well as the depreciating yen to the US dollar.

That planned doubling, as well as this exercise, is, more of a PR exercise about blowing smoke through the rear end trumpet than a serious

...proposal.

And who needs to attack the nuclear power plants. The poorly regulated industry, TEPCO & the other utilities, aging plants, shoddy design and placement as well as natural disasters will take them out.

Dad's army alright... they'd better stock up on walking frames

And let's not kid ourselves; these "regiments" are in reality battalion sized units in this brigade.

What an aim/purpose? Repel invaders?

What potential invaders?? If you don't get involved in China's internal affairs, contravene UN/your own recognition/charter. No invaders will ever any attempt to invade, therefore, non thing/invaders to repel.

Advice, have an independent foreign policies, like 90% of the world.

More of our taxes going down the drain.

Wet should get cost reports reach time these drill happens.

Self-Defense Forces hold drill to repel invaders

So long as they don’t feel the need to get the civilian population involved, like last time, then they can do whatever they want.

Hi everyone.

After reading the article and some comments, I really felt the urge to comment as well.

@Mr Kipling: If this is "anti China propaganda" as you say, then you should first take a closer look onto China's state media and what kind of rabble-rousing they do. Not to speak about the matter of the South China Sea and its implications on int. law. Or shall I say simply ignoring it, because it doesn't siut Chinese needs to expand. And I doubt that the presence of US Force on Japanese soil is not to be considered an "occupation". This is rather based on a mutal agreement between to nations by free will, political goals and common sense. Though, things change and so many of the people of Okinawa don't want their island to host US-troops any more. But nobody else on the Japanese main islands wants these troops next door, either. But for other reasons then you might expect. There's simply a lack of siutable locations, except Hokkaidō.

The announcements of Xi Jiping were very clear: China MUST become the worlds new super power!!! This also means that a hostile act against Taiwan is inevitable, as to unite both countries in the first act of this scenario. But many people don't know that this plan has to do with China's Submarine fleet. Specially the ones carrying ICBMs. They need free access to the open Pacific. But currently a chain of Island states (Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan) makes it impossible for Chinese Subs to pass by, without being detected. Not so good for a policy of deterrence or show of force as a super power. So, by unrightfully taking back what's not PR of China, in this case Taiwan, would mean a free and secure access to the Pacific. At the same time two problems solved: the question of national pride and strategy.

Then the focus of China will inevitably turn to Japan, because Japan then still poses a threat to Chinese interests for its economic and strategic interests in this area. After all, the most southern (Sakishima) islands of Japan are – as the Chinese claim – actually Chinese. I doubt that and think that's imperialistic nonsense talk. But, if you ask the Ryūkyū-people, which side they would chose. Well, it certainly won't be China.

So, what's the conclusion? Simple: Japan has any right to train such a military scenario and to show its neighbour that it's willing to use force to repell any attempt of taking any square inch of its soil. Also, that it's considering a change of the status quo of Taiwan a threat to its own safety and a dangerous disturbance of the balance of powers in the region.

I'd advice Mr Xi to abandon his hope of reunification with Taiwan in first place, unless the people of Taiwan vote for it in peace. But that won't happen under the current circumstances and with a bunch of corrupt communists running the country.

Careful Marlo. You’re way too close to the truth and likely to upset some people here.

Marko*

Advice, have an independent foreign policies, like 90% of the world.

Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia are all non aligned but all three are arming themselves in fear of Chinese claims and in Vietnam's case direct encroachments on their territorial waters and EEZs.

China, like most dictatorships, does not respect weakness. Being "peaceful" means being more easily pushed around. Refusing to defend yourself makes it easier for China to subjugate you and steal your resources. Find out what China is doing to fisheries off the coast of Africa for example, and off South America. Nobody there has the strength to stand up to China so China just takes what they want leaving the local fishing fleet with next to nothing to catch.

Well said, MM, DT.

Old man's army in drill !

Spoken by someone with no appreciation for the contribution made by career mid grade and senior enlisted soldiers. They are the backbone of western military forces. They are the experienced cadre that knows what needs to be done and makes it happen. They are not draftees but are there because they want to be there. Unlike the armies of dictators they don't wait around for the officers to tell them what to do. They already know, they know what their officers expect and make it happen. They lead the junior troops. Their initiative and ability to get things done, and done right, without having to have an officer looking over their shoulder is the great strength of western and western style volunteer armies.

Oh sorry, I must be mistaken in my comment that mainland Japan is at a minuscule risk of being invaded

Did I forget those barren rocks known as the Senkakus must be the ones to be defended right?

At first glance, you can't tell Japanese from U.S. Marines. In the photo above, it's the U.S. Marine who is in the background, instructing his Japanese counterparts how to use equipment when landing and invading a hostile territory.

What does it all mean in light of the fact that it has been bilaterally agreed that Japan has primary responsibility to defend its own islands? It seems the U.S. is asking Japan to assume all the responsibility for paying its debt, that is, using bases for free.

voiceofokinawaToday 12:50 pm JST

It seems the U.S. is asking Japan to assume all the responsibility for paying its debt, that is, using bases for free.

Paying what debt? The Japanese hosting money isn't even enough to cover the cost of keeping US troops there.