Japan
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Philippines joins Japan-led naval drills as encounters with PRC rise in disputed South China Sea
The Associated Press Japan led an annual multinational naval exercise in November 2023 that included the Philippines as a first-time observer, as Philippine Coast Guard vessels are increasingly harassed by People’s Republic of China (PRC) ships in the disputed South China Sea. The Annualex exercise off Japan’s coast, which also included Australia, Canada and the United States, aims to enhance interoperability among…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
U.S. drone aircraft relocate to Okinawa, enhance East China Sea surveillance
FORUM Staff Eight United States Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drones are moving almost 700 kilometers south to U.S. Forces Japan’s Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, in Japan’s southwestern islands. The remote-controlled aircraft, previously deployed to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Kanoya Air Base in Kagoshima, are used mostly for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). Tokyo is concerned about the Chinese…
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Northeast Asia
Resolute Dragon 2023 roars across Japan
FORUM Staff Persistent displays of force around Taiwan and Japan by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) enhanced the urgency of Resolute Dragon, an annual training exercise conducted by the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and United States Marine Corps. Featuring 7,300 troops, the Japan-based exercise’s field training portion from October 14-31 was more than twice the size of its previous…
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Illicit Activity
France deploys surveillance aircraft to enforce U.N. sanctions, deter illicit North Korean actions
FORUM Staff France demonstrates its commitment to security and stability in the Info-Pacific by annually deploying assets to uphold and enforce United Nations Security Council resolutions to deter North Korean nuclear proliferation. In October 2023, the French Polynesian Armed Forces’ Falcon Guardian, a maritime surveillance aircraft based in Tahiti, arrived in Japan to support the multinational Enforcement Coordination Cell (ECC).…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Japan, South Korea, U.S. hold inaugural aerial exercise in face of North Korean threats
The Associated Press Japan, South Korea and the United States conducted their first joint aerial exercise in late October 2023 in response to evolving North Korean nuclear threats. The training near the Korean Peninsula followed the three countries’ agreement to increase defense cooperation and boost joint response capabilities against North Korean threats, the Republic of Korea (ROK) Air Force said.…
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Global Commons
Defense companies pivot to Japan amid Indo-Pacific’s shifting security dynamics
Marc Jacob Prosser Global defense contractors are shifting operations and focus to Japan as the country increases defense expenditures to address rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific. United Kingdom-based BAE Systems will relocate its supervisory functions from Malaysia to Japan by late 2023, according to Japan’s Nikkei Asia magazine. The company, which recently founded a subsidiary in Japan, will play a…
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Conflicts - Tensions
Defense procurements surge as tensions rise
FORUM Staff Regional threats and Russia-Ukraine war repercussions have led some Indo-Pacific states to dramatically boost their defense capabilities. Australia, Japan and Singapore are among nations amping up security measures to encourage diplomacy, project deterrence and prepare for potential conflict in an increasingly tense environment. Provocative actions by North Korea, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia are motivating…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
USINDOPACOM Office of Women, Peace & Security holds inaugural gender advisor course
FORUM Staff The United States Indo-Pacific Command’s (USINDOPACOM) Office of Women, Peace & Security (WPS) conducted its first Indo-Pacific Regional Military Gender Advisor Course in Hawaii in late August 2023. The event marked the launch of a five-year training initiative by USINDOPACOM. The WPS Office designed the annual course to develop a trained network of gender advisors from partner nations,…
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Global Commons
U.S. exploring potential space force hotline with PRC
Reuters The United States Space Force has had internal discussions about establishing a hotline with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to prevent crises in space, Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, the force’s commander, said in late September 2023. The chief of space operations said a direct line of communication between the Space Force and its PRC counterpart would be valuable…
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Northeast Asia
Orient Shield exercise prepares Japanese, U.S. troops for multidomain warfare
FORUM Staff About 3,500 Japanese and United States Soldiers trained side by side for 10 days in September 2023 during exercise Orient Shield in Japan to advance multidomain operations by improving joint intelligence, information, cyber, electronic warfare and space capabilities. “These exercises, and this training, and these rehearsals are critical to strengthening our alliance,” Gen. Charles A. Flynn, commander of…
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