Pyongyang says Tokyo’s cooperation with foreign militaries will bring ‘incredible disaster’ to the whole world, as Japan prepares for the first drills involving British troops on its soil
North Korean state media has cited upcoming joint Japanese and British military exercises as evidence Tokyo is preparing for “re-invasion”, presumably of the Korean peninsula.
The 12-day exercises are expected to start on Sunday at the Ground Self-Defence Forces’ Camp Fuji, west of Tokyo, and will be the first time British ground units have taken part in manoeuvres on Japanese soil.
The exercises will include troops being deployed from Chinook helicopters, reconnaissance drills and simulated artillery strikes. The British government has said the military collaboration is designed to strengthen the bilateral security relationship following port visits by two British warships – the frigate HMS Sutherland and HMS Albion, an amphibious assault ship – earlier this year.
Both vessels took part in exercises with their Japanese counterparts, as well as “monitoring” ships in waters surrounding the Korean peninsula that were suspected of being involved in efforts to sidestep UN sanctions on the transfer of banned goods to North Korea by trans-shipping cargoes at sea.
The state-run Minju Joson newspaper on Tuesday claimed the exercises demonstrated Japan was “laying a foundation for legalising the overseas advance of the SDF” by strengthening its military alliances with other countries.
