Japan announced on Tuesday that it is sending three ships to the South China Sea and Indian Ocean to hold joint exercises with six nations, according to The Japan Times.
The vessels include the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s largest, the helicopter carrier Kaga. The Izumo-class helicopter carriers are technically designated as destroyers to comply with a constitutional ban on offensive weapons.
“This is part Japan’s efforts to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific,” officials were quoted as saying last month when it was first reported that Kaga will be making the tour.
Malcolm Cook, a senior fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, was quoted as saying in the Japan Times report that while the upcoming dispatch of naval firepower was significant, it did not mean that Japan was prepared to test China’s mettle.
“I do not think Japan is emboldened but rather increasingly worried about the regional security environment and is responding by trying to do more to address these worries,” he said.
Collin Koh, a specialist in regional naval affairs at Singapore’s S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, was quoted as saying that regional powers would welcome the move.
“While the engagements might be modest compared to those customarily undertaken by the US and other established external security partners […] Japan’s slate of engagements appear to have been well received by regional governments.”
China is a pain in the ass.
Its about time to re-arm japan!
Nawaponrath Asavathanachart china is claiming "ownership" of the south china sea and threatening shipping and aircraft in the region. Do your homework before you post stupid shit.
OUTSTANDING. Put F 35s on that thing and re arm. China is a problem for the region and it needs a good smack down.
Larry= Your in for a rude awakening a** wipe.
Did the Chinese government write this article? China started the war decades ago with the help of traders ,the steal
Our military secrets our intellectual property undermine our industry and threaten us militarily.china is our enemy by their own hand if Germany wants to be on their side so be it.
Tamd==The tens of millions of people china jas murdered snd enslaved would disagree with you.
Nawaponrath Asavathanachart ==You mean like when we bombed the Syrian military for gasing their own people?China murdered 10s of millions of it’s own people, the enslave tens of millions of people today , they run concentration camps today and threaten everyone around them so spare me the chicom propaganda.
Zubair==President Trump is trying to keep Iran from getting nuclear weapons, that benefits Europe as much as anyone.
Germany is showing more and more that they are no friend to the United States. The Iranian deal was worthless. President Trump is looking out for Europe As much as America, but germany and othervonly see short term profit.
You got that the other way around the west are a threat to the world, Who’s been bombing countries around the world definately not China
Time for Japan to re-arm , the Chinese are a threat to the world.