Japan, a U.S. ally, has used civilian airports and seaports for military training drills during a large-scale war game as it prepares for a potential conflict with China.
The Japan Self-Defense Forces said it and the Japanese coast guard needed to be able to use civilian facilities smoothly when required to respond effectively in challenging situations.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Why It Matters
Japan has named China—whose military is rapidly enhancing its power and expanding its presence—as one of the major threats, along with Russia and North Korea, in what it describes as the most severe and complex security environment since World War II.
In preparation for potential Chinese aggression against Taiwan and in the East China Sea, Japan has designated 40 civilian facilities—14 airports and 26 seaports—for use by the Self-Defense Forces and the Japanese coast guard in the event of a contingency.
The Japan Air, Ground and Maritime Self-Defense Forces kicked off a joint exercise on October 20, scheduled to conclude on Friday, at Japanese and U.S. military facilities as well as civilian airports and seaports, practicing joint operations to defend the country.
What To Know
A group of four Japanese F-15 fighter jets was seen landing and refueling at Kagoshima Airport—on Japan’s southernmost main island of Kyushu—on October 22, according to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the local newspaper Minami-Nippon Shimbun.
This marked the first time the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s fighter jets had trained at Kagoshima Airport, the newspaper reported. The airport is one of the civilian facilities selected for upgrades and use by the Self-Defense Forces for training and emergencies.
Citing Japan’s Defense Ministry, the newspaper said the F-15 aircraft were “temporarily evacuated” and landed at the civilian airport to refuel during the drill, which simulated a situation in which air bases were unavailable while responding to invading forces.
Two days later, the destroyer JS Ashigara loaded missiles at Kagoshima Port—also designated for “specified use”—marking the first time a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel had been loaded with live ammunition at a civilian seaport in Japan.
The drill, which involved anti-air missiles, sought to enable flexible naval operations using civilian seaports in emergencies, according to the Minami-Nippon Shimbun.
Meanwhile, an anti-ship exercise was conducted in Amami and Yamato on the island of Amami Oshima on October 23, involving four launching vehicles armed with Type 12 and Type 88 missiles capable of sinking invading vessels, the newspaper reported.
“With China’s increasing maritime expansion in mind, the drill aimed to demonstrate the strengthening of defense capabilities in the southwestern region,” the report added.
What People Are Saying
The Japan Self-Defense Forces Joint Operations Command wrote on the social media platform X on October 24: “As we face the most severe and complex security environment since the end of the war, it is necessary for the Self-Defense Forces and the Japan Coast Guard to be able to smoothly use civilian airports and ports as needed in order to respond tenaciously even in difficult situations.”
Japan’s 2025 defense white paper said: “China has been intensifying its activities across the entire region surrounding Japan, including in the East China Sea, particularly in the area around the Senkaku Islands, the Sea of Japan, and the western Pacific Ocean, extending beyond the so-called first island chain to the second island chain.”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether Japan will expand the list of civilian airports and seaports designated for “specified use” to better prepare the Self-Defense Forces for a conflict.
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