Thu Aug 25, 2016 18:10:43
Around 2,400 soldiers participated in the annual military exercises by Japan’s Self Defense Forces on Thursday, which showcased their strategy for defending remote islands.
Some 80 tanks and armored vehicles, 60 artillery units, 20 aircraft and 700 military vehicles took part in the event, held at the foot of Mount Fuji.
The drills are based on a scenario in which Japan’s outlying islands are under attack, and showed how Japanese troops would defend themselves.
Japan is involved in territorial disputes with China over islands in the East China Sea, and with South Korea in the Sea of Japan, causing tensions to rise in recent years.
Last year, the cabinet approved an interpretation of the nation’s constitution which would allow Japan’s military to take a more active role overseas and extend cooperation with its allies.
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