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World
Air Force News - Japan / United States |
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Japanese
and United States army began joint sea and airspace military exercises. |
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Japan's
Self-Defense Forces and the United States military began joint drills
in airspace and sea near Okinawa Prefecture on Monday, according to Japan's
Defense Ministry and local media. Japan's public broadcaster, NHK, reported
that more than 37,000 personnel from Japan's Self-Defense Forces and some
10,000 U.S. military personnel are involved in the joint drill, which
is also utilizing a U.S. aircraft carrier.
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F-15J fighter
aircraft of Japanese Air Force
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The drill, set to
last for 12-days and dubbed "Keen Sword", is aimed at improving
military preparedness near remote islands, Defense Ministry sources
said.
The drills, which are not open to the media, were originally supposed
to include on Monday an exercise in which the joint forces reclaim a
remote island off Okinawa that has been captured by enemy forces, according
to local media sources.
The sources said however that the drill, which was supposed to be based
on and around the uninhabited island of Irisunajima today, had been
called off to avoid further aggravating already soured ties with neighboring
China.
Japan and China are currently involved in a bitter dispute concerning
Japan's illegal attempts to "nationalize" some of the Diaoyu
Islands in the East China Sea.
While controlled by Japan, China maintains the islands in questions
are inherently Chinese territory and has staunchly rejected claims by
Japan to the islands and its moves towards nationalization by the Japanese
central government.
Chinese vessels have been patrolling the waters around the islands for
the past 17-days, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.
Due to the timing, massive scope and proximity to the disputed islands,
observers say that the Keen Sword drills have the potential to exacerbate
an already incendiary situation between Japan and China, although some
pundits are quick to point out that a similar joint drill was held between
the U.S. and Japan in 2010 and the U.S. military routinely holds joint
exercises with Asia- Pacific nations.
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