US-Japan drills expand to Kyushu with French troops joining Indo-Pacific security efforts

Japan and the United States officially launched the large-scale "Ryujin" joint military exercise this week. This biennial military operation has expanded in scale this year, marking significant breakthroughs in both geographic deployment and international participation. According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense and related sources, the exercise for the first time incorporates Oita Airport in Kyushu, Japan, into its operational scope, marking the first time the facility has been utilized for the Ryujin drills. This move indicates that the US-Japan alliance is further strengthening its logistical support network's dispersion and contingency capabilities to address the risk of base damage in the event of a potential regional conflict.

In addition to the main forces of the United States and Japan, this year's Ryujin exercise features a distinct multilateral defense cooperation dimension. A notable highlight is the first-ever participation of French forces. As planned, the French military is expected to conduct joint drills with the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) in maritime security subjects, including boarding inspections. As a key participant in the Indo-Pacific region, France has consistently demonstrated its resolve to uphold freedom of navigation and the rule of law by dispatching warships and troops to regional military exercises in recent years. The inclusion of French units not only deepens the substantive security partnership between European nations and Japan but also underscores that the security situation in the Indo-Pacific has attracted the shared concern of major global democracies.

However, tensions in the region have risen in the lead-up to and following the commencement of the large-scale exercise. During this sensitive period, the Japanese government closely observed Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) vessels and military aircraft appearing in the waters and airspace surrounding Japan. For a long time, the Chinese Communist Party has maintained high vigilance regarding various joint military exercises by the US-Japan alliance, frequently dispatching naval and air forces to waters near Japan for reconnaissance and displays of force. These actions are intended to express dissatisfaction and attempt to exert strategic deterrence against Japan. In response to frequent PLA movements, the JSDF has maintained a state of high alert, using maritime and air surveillance radars and patrol vessels and aircraft to closely monitor PLA activities and ensure national defense security.

As one of the core large-scale training exercises within the US-Japan alliance system, the primary objective of the Ryujin exercise is to test and enhance the combined combat capabilities, command and control efficiency, and long-range force projection capabilities of the two nations' forces. With the dramatic changes in the regional security environment in recent years, particularly the escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the East China Sea, the United States and Japan have continuously incorporated new tactics, scenarios, and allies into the exercises. The activation of Oita Airport reflects a shift in US-Japan military strategy from traditional centralized main bases to dispersed deployment, aiming to enhance the survivability of forces in the face of high-precision strikes. This tactical adjustment holds significant strategic importance for improving the overall defensive resilience of the First Island Chain.

From a broader perspective of international politics and geostrategy, the Ryujin exercise is not merely a military drill but also a crucial platform for the US-Japan alliance to convey clear political signals to the region and the world. In the face of shifting power structures and intensifying geopolitical competition, the United States and Japan have further consolidated the regional security network by expanding the scale of the exercises and including the participation of like-minded countries such as France. This development indicates that maintaining stability and the status quo in the Indo-Pacific is no longer solely a bilateral matter between the United States and Japan, but a collective will supported by an increasing number of members of the international community, exerting a profound influence on the future trajectory of the regional landscape.

(Fact source: Central News Agency)