The Japanese Self Defense Force has raised an amphibious special unit named Amphibious
Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB).
This unit is the first marine unit to be established since World War II by Japan
The unit displayed its capabilities publicly at a military exhibition near Sasebo, in Kyushu
Island.
The exercise imitated recapturing a Japanese island from an invading army.
The raising of the unit has got China worried.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes, how China is panicking watching Japan forming
an amphibious special unit?
Let's get started.
China and Japan have strained relations over the islands in the East China Sea and tensions
have flared between the two countries regularly.
Apart from the East China Sea, China and Japan have differences in stance regarding the South
China Sea.
China’s sweeping claims of sovereignty over the sea have annoyed other claimants Malaysia,
Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Japan , United States, Australia, and India favor freedom of navigation as it is a very
important sea route with 5 trillion $ in trade -1/2 of the global merchant shipping and 1/2
of world’s oil shipment passing through it.
Japan has watched as the Chinese military has risen to be one of the most powerful militaries
in the world with budget second only to U.S military.
According to Japan’s constitution adopted after the Second World War, it is a pacifist
country.
Article 9 of the Japanese constitution states that "The Japanese people forever renounce
war and the threat or use of force.”
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has long sought to change this and enable the Japanese
Self Defense Force to have a more aggressive role.
In May 2017, Abe strongly made a push in that direction and stated that he wanted the constitution
to be updated and a new version in place by 2020.
He said, "I strongly wish to make 2020 the year that the reborn Japan will make a new start."
The new Japanese unit was announced by Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera on March 31.
He had clearly mentioned the objective of the unit stating, “In the event of an invasion
of a remote island, its task will be promptly landing on the island and regaining and securing it"
He said that the unit would be composed of about 2,100 personnel.
Currently, it is known to have 1,500 personnel.
Mr. Onodera also revealed that the brigade will train with US-built military aircraft
V-22 OSPREY aircraft.
Viewers may note that V-22 Ospreys is very much suitable for the amphibious operations
since it has very long range and can take off and land like helicopters, enabling it
to be deployed from almost anywhere.
Japan also has helicopter carriers that can accommodate the V-22 Ospreys.
Chinese state media tabloid Global Times which is actually a mouthpiece of Chinese ruling
party in its editorial said Asia needed to watch Japan's "militarism revival."
The article stated, "Some question if the Japanese government may consider using safeguarding
territorial integrity as an excuse to revive militarism, to which regional countries must
stay on high alert,”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Japan's military moves were being followed
closely by their Asian neighbors "for historical reasons."