Japanese military to train with US, Australian military amid concerns over China | Military Affairs

The joint naval training was announced after the three countries expressed concern over the ‘dangerous behavior’ of the Chinese military.

The Japanese military will participate in joint training with the United States Marines and the Australian military in northern Australia next year, the defense ministers of the three countries said, as they expressed concern over the growing threat from China’s military.

The joint statement issued on Sunday reiterated “deep concern” about disruptive activities in the East and South China Seas, including the “dangerous behavior” of the Chinese military against the Philippines and other vessels from the region.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles hosted his US and Japanese counterparts, Lloyd Austin and Gen Nakatani, for talks in the city of Darwin. They announced amphibious training between Australia, Japan and the US Marine rotational force north of Australia from 2025, starting with an international training exercise called Exercise Talisman Sabre.

Australian Defense Minister Marles said moving troops to Darwin for training was “a great opportunity for our defence”.

When asked if the deal would anger Beijing, Marles said the decision was about building “very good relations with like-minded countries, with our friends and our allies.”

Canberra will also join Exercise Orient Shield in Japan, a field training exercise between Japanese and US militaries, for the first time next year.

About 2,000 US Marines have already been held in Darwin, the capital of Northern Australia, for six months of the year due to growing concerns between the US and its allies about the growing military power of China in the Indo-Pacific region.

Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait

The military deployment in Darwin also shares a special significance as it was a base for the Allied forces in World War II and was heavily bombed by the Japanese forces. Sunday’s trilateral meeting in Darwin was the 14th between the three partners.

The ministers reiterated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China claims self-governing Taiwan as its territory and has increased military activity with regular exercises on the island.

Separately, US Defense Secretary Austin said Washington will provide the capabilities set out in the AUKUS (Australia, United Kingdom, US) agreement for Australia to buy US nuclear submarines and develop a new class of nuclear-powered submarines and -US and UK.

Australia, the US and the UK signed the AUKUS agreement in 2021, which includes a joint effort to help Australia’s military acquire nuclear-capable submarines, in an apparent attempt to counter China.

Austin added that the US Department of Defense was focused on a “smooth and effective transition” for the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

“I’m very proud of what this one does [current] The administration has accomplished in the last four years, in terms of what we have done in this region to strengthen alliances and cooperation with countries that share the same vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Austin.