Text Fwd: U.S., Japan Drill For Missile Attacks, Guerrilla Warfare, Full-Scale Invasion

* Texts fwd by Rick Rozoff on Jan. 27, 2011

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Canadian Press
January 27, 2011
Japanese, US forces hold war games in Japan simulating missile attacks, full-scale invasion
By Eric Talmadge

-Japan has grown increasingly concerned about its defences in its southwest, and particularly around the Okinawan islands, because of a number of incursions into its sea lanes by Chinese warships, including the movement of a Chinese flotilla through the Miyako Strait last April.
In response, the government has announced that it will bolster its monitoring capabilities in the region, and is reportedly considering boosting its submarine fleet.


CAMP KENGUN, Japan: Several thousand American and Japanese troops simulated missile attacks, guerrilla warfare and a full-scale invasion of Japan as part of a major war games that began Thursday.

The exercises, called "Yama Sakura," involve about 1,500 U.S. troops and 4,500 Japanese military personnel. Yama Sakura, being held on the southwestern island of Kyushu, is the biggest annual joint manoeuvr held with Japan's army.

Lt. Gen. Shunzo Kizaki, the commander of the Japanese troops in the exercises, said they involve simulations of ballistic missile attacks, special forces warfare and an invasion of Japan's southernmost main island. He said further details are classified.

Yama Sakura, a command post exercise, is mostly done around computer simulations conducted at established bases, rather than real-world deployment of troops.
....
Japan has grown increasingly concerned about its defences in its southwest, and particularly around the Okinawan islands, because of a number of incursions into its sea lanes by Chinese warships, including the movement of a Chinese flotilla through the Miyako Strait last April.

In response, the government has announced that it will bolster its monitoring capabilities in the region, and is reportedly considering boosting its submarine fleet.

Japan is ***also*** concerned over possible aggression from neighbouring North Korea.

Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, commander of the U.S. Army Pacific, said the exercises are designed to enhance the troops' ability to fight together, and demonstrate the U.S. resolve to support the security interests of Washington's allies.

"Many countries throughout the region face increasing security challenges and transnational threats," he said.

Under a mutual security treaty, about 50,000 U.S. troops are deployed throughout Japan, including major Air Force, Marine and Navy units. The U.S. Army component is smaller, but trains intensely with its Japanese counterpart.


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See also
Stars and Stripes

January 25, 2011
Annual U.S., Japan exercise kicks off this weekBy Charlie Reed

Text Fwd: archipelago lines 1, 2: Miyako is focus 군도 선 1, 2; 미야코, 현재 촛점

* Texts & images provided by M.S. from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, 2010

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* On Oct. 1, 2010

Fears are urgently being planted here as to 'Chinese naval expansion',
with a lot of books on 'China threat' on a bookshelf of every book store,
with many of our bipartizan politicans mentioning the threat on TV,
and with this attached map appearing even on today's Asahi newspaper.

These 'Archipelago lines 1st and 2nd' are said by today's Asahi
to be out of the long-term strategy of China over the East China Sea.
Asahi says that it made this map based on the materials from
Japan's Defense Ministry and Chinese papers.

Some magazines call these lines Chinese navel defense lines.
But these archipelago lines are precisely what the US must want to protect.
On the edge of the first line nearer to the Asian Continent are the islands of Okinawa and Miyako. And on the second line edge is Guam.
That is why Miyako is currently on focus.
I don't know what about the Korean Peninsula in this defense line strategy.

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* Text sent from M. S. on Sept. 30, 2010



* Image source: same as the link

Last week, a US ship made a portcall to an island called Miyako, near Taiwan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miyako-jima .

A US marine sweeper entered and stayed at its port during Sep.21~24
before leaving for the Phillipines. Before that, the US Consulate donated
some books to the library in the island, and in Dec. there will be
a music performance there by the 7th fleet brass band .
From these, it seems that the US has an intention to frequent its port-call
to the island from now on.

Locals on Miyako have issued a strong message, which said ( by my translation)
[ 'by sending in a marine sweeper, US has investigated the area under the sea.
Therefore it is obvious, from the remark by the US Consulate General as well,
the US regards this area as strategically important, and by the port-call last week,
the US dared to demonstrate that to China. ' ' Under the pretext of the minor clash between Japan and China around the Senkaku islands, there seems to be a vital move to militalize all over Japan, beginning with a plan of making all the areas of Okinawa (the Ryukyu Ark), including the islands of Miyako,Yaeyama,Yonakuni, a huge military base.' ] I'm afraid there willl be no reduction of the burden of Okinawa and the rest
in the Ryukyu Ark.