U.S. and Japan Wrap Up 'Iron Fist 2025' Military Exercises

TaiwanPlus News

Japan and the U.S. are wrapping up military drills in Okinawa, not far from Taiwan. With shaky foreign commitment from the U.S., Japan is looking to fill gaps in the region’s security.

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00:00These U.S. and Japanese Marines are practicing how to call out targets.

00:13For almost three weeks, islands in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture have turned into mini-battlefields,

00:19with dozens of military aircraft buzzing around the strategic area.

00:24Officials here say it's a reflection of tensions in the region.

00:47These annual exercises are called Iron Fist, and they focus on how to strike targets and

00:52coordinate attacks on various islands in the Indo-Pacific.

00:56The drills here are also some of the closest to neighboring Taiwan.

00:59Just 600 kilometers away sits Kadena Air Base, the closest U.S. military base to Taiwan,

01:06and it's a vital hub for U.S. operations in Asia.

01:10If a crisis were to erupt in the Taiwan Strait, it would take fighter jets from there around

01:14three hours to move in.

01:20The exercises here are just one part of a renewed effort by Japan to boost its defense,

01:25with a potential conflict over Taiwan a big motivator.

01:28Japan has committed to acquiring counter-strike capabilities, including Tomahawk missiles,

01:34and expanding its defense budget to 2 percent of GDP, aimed at strengthening deterrence

01:40against a Taiwan contingency.

01:45But a war around Taiwan isn't the only thing on Japan's mind.

01:49Japan is increasingly aggressive moves in Asia, and an unpredictable foreign policy

01:53from U.S. President Donald Trump is increasing anxiety over Japan's security.

01:59Japan's perennially been worried about two things with regard to the U.S.

02:03One is abandonment, so the U.S. loses strategic interest in Asia, and the other one is entrapment,

02:10so Japan gets trapped in a U.S. conflict in the region, particularly obviously with the

02:16second Trump administration, that worry has been intensified.

02:20The U.S. and Japan do have a mutual defense treaty, but there's growing concern about

02:25how active the U.S. will be in Asia's security.

02:28That's why these exercises are a chance for Japan to practice taking matters into its

02:32own hands.

02:37But while China causes a stir in the region, new partnerships between North Korea and Russia

02:41are also pushing Japan to stay alert.

02:44At a really high level, they are concerned about current Russia-North Korean cooperation

02:51of the nuclear development.

02:54So I think I or East Asia country policy makers should pay attention to the more multilateral

03:04discussion about arms control in the region.

03:11More joint drills are scheduled for later this month, as Japan looks to take ownership

03:15not just of its own defense, but in its role in helping prevent a regional conflict.

03:21Fu Hua Hong and Jaime Okon in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.

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