Minjitta
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2012
- Messages
- 409
- Reaction score
- 0
- Country
- Location
Joint drill with U.S. will 'retake' remote Okinawa island
Japan and the United States are planning to hold a joint drill in Okinawa next month in which troops would "retake" an uninhabited island from foreign forces, bilateral sources said Saturday.
While Tokyo and Washington said the exercise has not been designed with a specific location in mind, the first-ever drill to be held on a remote Japanese island under this scenario appears to be heavily influenced by the territorial flareup over the Senkaku Islands, the sources said.
As the drill will inevitably anger China, which claims the Japan-controlled Senkakus in the East China Sea and was infuriated by Japan's nationalization of three of the disputed islets last month, the exercise could take place unannounced so as not to worsen Tokyo's strained ties with Beijing.
The drill is part of a joint bilateral exercise to be held from Nov. 5 to 16, and would take place in the latter stages, the sources said.
The main participants would be U.S. troops from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Force and personnel from the Ground Self-Defense Force's Western Army stationed in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, whose duties include defending remote islands.
In the drill, Japanese and U.S. troops would use boats and choppers to land on an isle occupied by foreign forces and retake it.
According to the sources, the exercise would likely be held on tiny Irisuna Island, part of the village of Tonaki in Okinawa Prefecture and located 60 km west of Okinawa Island.
Joint drill with U.S. will 'retake' remote Okinawa island | The Japan Times Online
Seem like Japan and USA not backing down, let see what China react to this drill from Japan and USA
Japan and the United States are planning to hold a joint drill in Okinawa next month in which troops would "retake" an uninhabited island from foreign forces, bilateral sources said Saturday.
While Tokyo and Washington said the exercise has not been designed with a specific location in mind, the first-ever drill to be held on a remote Japanese island under this scenario appears to be heavily influenced by the territorial flareup over the Senkaku Islands, the sources said.
As the drill will inevitably anger China, which claims the Japan-controlled Senkakus in the East China Sea and was infuriated by Japan's nationalization of three of the disputed islets last month, the exercise could take place unannounced so as not to worsen Tokyo's strained ties with Beijing.
The drill is part of a joint bilateral exercise to be held from Nov. 5 to 16, and would take place in the latter stages, the sources said.
The main participants would be U.S. troops from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Force and personnel from the Ground Self-Defense Force's Western Army stationed in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, whose duties include defending remote islands.
In the drill, Japanese and U.S. troops would use boats and choppers to land on an isle occupied by foreign forces and retake it.
According to the sources, the exercise would likely be held on tiny Irisuna Island, part of the village of Tonaki in Okinawa Prefecture and located 60 km west of Okinawa Island.
Joint drill with U.S. will 'retake' remote Okinawa island | The Japan Times Online
Seem like Japan and USA not backing down, let see what China react to this drill from Japan and USA