‘A big deal’: the military drills showing Tokyo’s growing focus on deterring China

Japan’s participation in annual US-Philippine military exercises is a “big deal”, because it shows how Tokyo is taking a bigger role in regional groupings that could face off with China, according to analysts.More than 7,000 soldiers from the United States and Philippine armies are taking part in this year’s Salaknib drill, a joint annual exercise that started on the north of Luzon island on Monday.The exercise aims to “enhance combat readiness and interoperability between the two armies, focusing on a wide spectrum of military operations”, according to the US Army.This year, about 420 personnel from Japan’s Ground Self-Defence Force joined the drill for the first time, along with soldiers from Australia and New Zealand.It is the first time that combat-ready Japanese troops have deployed in the Philippines since Japan’s occupation of the country during World War II.The first phase of the Salaknib exercise will run until April 17. A few days later, the larger Balikatan US-Philippines exercises will begin, involving all branches of the two nations’ militaries.