Japan: Helicopter Performs Simulated Attack Amid Drills

Facts

• On Wednesday, Japan began flying an Apache helicopter over the uninhabited Irisuna island, about 43.5 miles away from the main Okinawa Island, as the country ramps up its 11-day O5JX drills, which will conclude on Monday.¹
• The drills also include an air defense exercise in northern Japan and simulated attacks on five nuclear reactors, including the Fukushima plant. Similar military exercises are becoming more frequent after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced a plan to double Japan’s defense spending over the next five years to combat possible enemies, such as China.²
• Commander of Japan’s Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB) Shingo Nashinoki said that the “growing military activities by China and Russia in the East China Sea, South China Sea, and Pacific” have made Japan’s national security environment “harsher,” prompting increased defense drills.²
• The ARDB and Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) are planning for attacks and are showing their preparedness for any conflicts that may arise in East Asia. Amid its military build-up, Japan has also worked more extensively with South Korea and the US.³
• The joint military exercises — which also include training on F-15 and F-2 fighter jets — have seen 40K members from the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and US military participate.⁴
• On Sunday, the defense leaders from Japan, South Korea, and the US agreed to a multi-year framework for trilateral security cooperation and will hold pre-planned military exercises in January. The meeting was the first-ever standalone defense ministerial between the three countries.⁵

Sources: ¹Reuters, ²Japan Today, ³BNN Breaking, ⁴Eurasian Times and ⁵Korea Herald.

Narratives

• Anti-China narrative, as provided by The Epoch Times. As the threat from China continues to grow, Japan has no choice but to ramp up its defense spending and preparation. The military alliance between Japan, South Korea, and the US seeks to maintain peace and stop Beijing from violating international law. Japan’s military exercises are necessary to keep the nation safe, and they will continue as long as the threat of China persists.
• Pro-China narrative, as provided by China Military. Japan is exacerbating instability in the Pacific region and provoking China at the behest of the US. It claims to be conducting extensive military drills in the name of self-defense, but the truth is that Japan and its Western allies are trying to bully China by sending a threatening message.

Predictions