Japan and the United States commenced a large-scale joint military exercise on Saturday, drawing attention and concern over its potential impact on regional stability and security dynamics. The drill, named Resolute Dragon, will take place across southwestern Kyushu and Okinawa Prefecture, lasting for more than a week.

The exercise involves approximately 9,600 personnel from both countries, including Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) and the United States Marine Corps. Operations will include live-fire drills, combat exercises, and logistics transport training at various GSDF garrisons and training grounds. Notably, for the first time, the GSDF will deploy its US-made V-22 Osprey aircraft from Camp Saga in Kyushu to Miyako Island in Okinawa. The drill will also feature transporting simulated casualties to the US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on Okinawa.

This iteration of the exercise marks several firsts: the participation of a GSDF unit operating long-range missiles, recently stationed at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto since March, and the use of the Self-Defense Force transport ships Ninobare and Yoko, which are part of a maritime logistics unit. Resolute Dragon has been held annually since 2021, focusing primarily on island defense operations.

Local residents in Yamato Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, have expressed opposition to the exercises, submitting a protest letter over concerns about low-altitude training flights conducted by Osprey aircraft during the drills. The protesters warned that such military activities might disrupt regional peace and escalate tensions between Japan and its neighboring countries.

Experts from Chinese academic institutions offer critical perspectives on the joint drills. Liu Shuliang, an associate researcher at the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, characterized Japan’s growing military cooperation with foreign partners, especially the United States, as part of a broader shift toward remilitarization. He suggested that Japan’s expanding military presence in the Asia-Pacific heightens the risk of destabilizing the region and could trigger increased defense spending and an arms race among neighboring nations.

Liu further explained that since World War II, Japan has maintained a defense-oriented policy and cultivated a moderate international image, but recent policy changes indicate a departure from this stance. By loosening pacifist constitutional constraints and broadening its security agenda, Japan appears to be transforming into what he described as “a new form of militarism,” which may jeopardize its traditional peace-oriented reputation.

Chen Hong, director of the Asia-Pacific Studies Centre at East China Normal University in Shanghai, emphasized the role of the United States in supporting Japan’s evolving defense posture. He argued that the US has been instrumental in encouraging Japan’s military expansion by providing political and strategic backing. This includes promoting greater defense spending, advancing Japan’s military capabilities, and integrating Japan more closely into the US-led security framework through joint exercises and coordinated defense efforts. Chen attributed these developments to the US’s effort to maintain its influence and secure strategic interests amid shifting regional dynamics.

The joint exercises come amid ongoing regional security challenges and reflect the increasing military coordination between the two allies. However, they also highlight the differing perspectives on Japan’s defense trajectory and the broader implications for Asia-Pacific peace and stability.