Japan military holds live fire drills at Mt Fuji
Japan’s military began three days of livefire drills near Mount Fuji Thursday, an annual exercise that comes as regional tensions have flared following a war of words between the US and North Korea.
Around 2,400 soldiers, as well as tanks, field guns and helicopters were deployed at training grounds in the foothills of the iconic mountain, about 80 kms (50 miles) west of Tokyo. Airborne troops parachuted from planes, anti-aircraft cannon were fired and F2 fighter jets whizzed overhead in a display of force by one of the world’s bestequipped militaries.
The drills are meant to prepare Japan’s Self-Defence Forces to repel an attack on its remote islands.
But North Korea’s recent threat to fire missiles at the US Pacific territory of Guam and territorial disputes with China and Russia are also concerning Tokyo.
“There are various issues and uncertain factors such as China’s forceful attempt to change the status quo in the East and South China Sea areas, North Korea’s promotion of ballistic missile development and nuclear weapons and Russia’s display of its presence in the Far East,” GSDF Chief of Staff General Koji Yamazaki said in a statement.
Japan has deployed its Patriot missile defence system after North Korea threatened to fire ballistic missiles over the country towards Guam.
Also: MOSCOW: Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Japanese plans to deploy US missile defence systems on its soil were disproportionate to the missile threat in the region.
The comments, made at a news briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman
Maria Zakharova, came a day after Moscow said it was seriously concerned that Japan might deploy the US Aegis Ashore missile-defence system on its soil to counter possible missile threats from North Korea.
Zakharova, in the same briefing, called on Pyongyang to exercise restraint in the face of new US-South Korean military exercise, saying the war games did not help de-escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula. (Agencies)