During an international fleet review in Tokyo Bay over the weekend, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged to prepare for any acts of aggression from Beijing.
"We must prepare ourselves for an era when actors emerge to disobey rules and use force or threats to destroy the peace and safety of other nations," said the prime minister. "We will accelerate realistic discussions on what's needed to defend our people by keeping all options on the table."
Earlier, Kishida reiterated the need for upgrades to bolster the capacity of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the country's Navy.
"The national security environment surrounding our nation is growing more severe, including the East China Sea and South China Sea. The enhancement of our naval capabilities cannot wait – including the construction of new naval ships, bolstering our missile defense capacity and improvement of the work conditions and compensation for our personnel."
Back in June, the Japanese leader warned during a security summit that "Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow," alluding to the strong possibility of China starting a war in the region – specifically with Taiwan.
The stakes have just become higher with Japan joining the fray. "Perceptions of security have drastically changed around the world," Kishida said, highlighting concerns that China has a track record of refusing to play by the rules.
The remarks from Tokyo did not sit well with Beijing.
Wang Wenbin, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called on Japan to "immediately stop the erroneous policy of hyping up security threats in the neighborhood to justify its military build-up." He continued: "It is worrying that Japan is deviating from the path of [a] pacifist and an exclusively defense-oriented policy."
Wang referenced Japan's post-World War II constitution, specifically Article Nine, which renounces "war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes."
Tokyo to deploy missiles, drones in defense of Ryukyu
Back in 2016, Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping declared it was a "heavy historical responsibility" for his generation to secure the Pinnacle Islands and dominate the East China Sea. The disputed islands – called Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese – are under the administration of Tokyo. However, other figures in Beijing want the rest of the Ryukyu archipelago – including Okinawa, the largest and most populated island.
In response to this looming threat from China, the Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD) devised a plan to use kamikaze drones to strike enemy landing forces and vessels in case the remote Ryukyu Islands will be invaded. Trials for the plan will commence in 2023 with a view to a complete rollout of "several hundred attack drones" beginning 2025 at the earliest, reported the Japan Times.
According to the MOD, the kamikaze drones – named after the Japanese suicide pilots who gained prominence during WWII – are expected to enhance the deterrent power of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF). The Jiji Press news agency later reported that the JSDF hopes to deploy these drones in defense of Okinawa, Senkaku and other islands in the Ryukyu archipelago. (Related: Japan to use KAMIKAZE drones to defend remote territories.)
Meanwhile, Russia Today said Tokyo's move to deploy the drones is purportedly aimed at China. Japan cited how Beijing has already "developed and put into practical use attack drones and others, while expanding its activities around Japan’s southwestern islands."
A separate Japan Times report also mentioned Tokyo's impending purchase of Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States.
"The plan to purchase sea-launched Tomahawks – which have a range of up to 2,500 kilometers and can travel relatively low to the ground – emerged as the government aims to declare the possession of 'counterstrike capability' in its key long-term security policy guideline."
WWIII.news has more stories about the brewing conflict between China and Japan.
Watch this episode of the Health Ranger Report that talks about China setting the stage for a nuclear war with Japan and other countries.
This video is from the Truth or Consequences channel on Brighteon.com.
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