Yoshihiko Noda says Japan's security environment is 'tougher than ever'
On the anniversary of Japan's peacetime defence force, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda warns of 'tough' security environment
Japan's navy marked its 60th anniversary with a major exercise yesterday as Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda warned that the country faces "severe" challenges to its security, underscoring tension with China over a territorial dispute and the threat of North Korea's weapons programmes.
This comes as local media reported Japan and the US are mulling a joint military drill to simulate retaking a remote island from foreign forces.
The exercise, part of broader joint manoeuvres to start early next month, would use an uninhabited island in southern Okinawa prefecture, Jiji Press and Kyodo News agencies quoted unidentified sources as saying on Saturday.
The drill would involve Japanese and US troops retaking the island using boats and helicopters, Kyodo said.
The exercise would reportedly use the uninhabited island of Irisunajima. The tiny island, used as a firing range for US forces, is also in the East China Sea but hundreds of kilometres away from the disputed island chain, called the Diaoyus in China and Senkakus in Japan.
Jiji Press said some Japanese and US government officials were cautious about holding the drill, fearing a likely angry response from China.
Noda braved occasional bouts of drizzle to review the fleet that passed in front of him while SDF helicopters and P-3C anti-submarine patrol planes flew overhead.