American troops could be sent to ‘defend the Senkaku Islands’, US commander says

Lieutenant General Kevin Schneider made the remarks after touching down on a Japanese destroyer for the start of a joint drill

He also took aim at recent ‘malign activities on the part of Beijing’, including its military build-up in the South China Sea

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Japan and the United States began a 10-day joint military exercise on Monday. Photo: US Pacific Fleet

Published: 8:00pm, 27 Oct 2020Updated: 9:40pm, 27 Oct 2020

American troops could be sent to disputed islands in the East China Sea, the head of US forces in Japan said, as the two allies began a high-profile drill amid growing concerns over Beijing’s military activities in the region.

“Our arrival today was simply to demonstrate the ability to move a few people, but the same capability could be used to deploy combat troops to defend the Senkaku Islands or respond to other crises and contingencies,” Lieutenant General Kevin Schneider, commander of US Forces Japan, said on Monday.

Schneider made the remarks after touching down on a Japanese destroyer in waters south of Japan for the start of Keen Sword 21, the first joint military exercise between the countries since Yoshihide Suga became prime minister last month.

He was referring to a group of uninhabited but strategically located islands claimed by Japan and China, where they are known as the Diaoyus, as well as Taiwan. Controlled by Japan, the islands and the waters that surround them are at the centre of a bitter maritime territorial dispute between Beijing and Tokyo.

This year’s drill takes place amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing. Photo: US Pacific Fleet

Accompanied by General Koji Yamazaki, Japan’s top military commander, on board the JS Kaga warship, Schneider also took aim at recent “malign activities on the part of Beijing”. He listed the national security law imposed in Hong Kong, Beijing’s military build-up in the South China Sea, and the PLA’s harassment of Taiwan, according to US military newspaper Stars and Stripes.

The 10-day biennial air, sea and land exercise involves some 37,000 Japanese military personnel and 9,000 from the United States, as well as 20 ships and 170 aircraft.

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