The country had after the Second World War enriched pacifism into its constitution to prevent it fighting large scale wars but Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has made a reinterpretation which allows use of military forces to defend allies. The warship Izumo left a Philippine port along with two destroyers after a series of drills over a two month period. In May, Tokyo’s ships were in the Bay of Bengal in an unprecedented exercise with France, Australia and the United States.
Canada, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and The Philippines have also conducted drills with the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force.
Japan is set to increase the stakes by configuring Izumo to accommodate US stealth fighters with Tokyo being 42 of its own.
US President Donald Trump has voiced his opposition that the agreements between Tokyo and Washington mean that the US are responsible for what he regards as a disproportionate amount of Japan’s defence.
Yasukazu Tanaka of the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, admitted to the South China Morning Post the ship could accommodate air and sea transport so “there are great possibilities for us to conduct amphibious operations.”
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China posses the largest claims in the South China Sea region but US and other naval forces have sold close to Beijing occupied islands, annoying their rivals.
While on the drill, Izumo came close to skirting into what China claims is its territorial waters while operating with the navies of Brunei and The Philippines.
Tokyo has also been hosting lectures for young officers from their South East Asian allies on law, navigation, communications and disaster relief.
Muhammad Daniel bin Matyussof, a junior lieutenant in the Royal Brunei Navy said: “Especially with the territorial and boundaries part, I think that would be vital information for us.”
Tokyo and Beijing have historically had a cold relationship but Escort Flotilla One commander Hiroshi Egawa insisted: “This Indo-Pacific deployment is not an operation that is aimed at anyone specific country.”
Since the end of the Second World War, Japan has only been involved in four armed conflicts.
The first was the War in Vietnam, which Japan occurred during the Second World War and after French rule was successfully restored in 1946 Japan did not get involved in the subsequent First Indochina War.
The next incident did not occur until December 22, 2001, when a North Korean spy boat was spotted in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, the Korean trawler was sunk in a few short hours.
Japanese military forces were briefly involved in the Iraq War but mainly stuck to humanitarian efforts.
The most recent deployment was another naval mission as Japan was involved in the anti-piracy initiative Operation Ocean Shield in the area around the Horn of Africa.