International Observation | Remain Vigilant Against New Trends in Japan's 'Re-militarization'
Using Participation in 'Balikatan' Joint Exercises to Deploy Military Forces Overseas and Launch Offensive Missiles——
Remain Vigilant Against New Trends in Japan's 'Re-militarization'
■ Liu Lin
On May 6, Japan's Type 88 missiles were fired during the 'Balikatan' military exercise—the first time Japan has launched offensive missiles outside its own territory. In this special year marking the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trials, the former aggressor has not only failed to deeply reflect on its historical crimes, but has instead dispatched military forces overseas and launched offensive missiles under the guise of so-called 'security cooperation.' This once again demonstrates that Japan's 'new-type militarism' (新型军国主义) is gaining momentum and poses a serious threat to regional peace and stability.
Recently, the U.S.-Philippines 2026 Balikatan joint exercise was held at multiple locations across the Philippines. Japan dispatched approximately 1,400 personnel from the Maritime, Ground, and Air Self-Defense Forces, deploying weapons and equipment including the helicopter destroyer JS Ise, the destroyer JS Ikazuchi, Type 88 surface-to-ship missiles, and C-130 transport aircraft, making Japan a major participating party alongside the United States and the Philippines.
Japan's participation in this exercise is far different from previous instances. First, its role has changed: since 2012, Japan had attended the Balikatan exercise solely as an 'observer,' performing only non-combat tasks. In September 2025, the Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement formally entered into force, permitting both countries to deploy forces on each other's territory; Japan thereby became a full participating nation, dispatching combat units as well as military personnel from cyber technology, medical, and logistics departments to participate fully in live-action drills. Second, the scope of subjects in which Japan participated expanded significantly. In this exercise, Japan's participation covered subjects including anti-landing operations, integrated air and missile defense, cyber attacks, medical rescue, and airfield runway repair. This not only marks a further deepening of Japan-Philippines military cooperation, but also exposes Japan's accelerating effort to extend the tentacles of its military expansion beyond its own region.
Over many years, Japan has continuously broken through the constraints of the 'Peace Constitution,' steadily strengthening its capacity for overseas military power projection and deployment, with related activities becoming increasingly normalized. In the Indian Ocean direction, Japan has dispatched vessels to the Gulf of Aden to conduct counter-piracy missions since 2009; the 'counter-piracy base' completed in Djibouti in 2011 became Japan's first permanent overseas military facility. In the Pacific direction, Japan routinely conducts joint exercises and training with allies such as 'Yama Sakura,' continuously reinforcing military deployments on outlying islands; Japan has also continued to advance the fortification of Iwo Jima, with the ambition of building a 'core fortress of the second island chain.' In the European direction, in September 2025, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force conducted 'Atlantic Eagle' operations, dispatching F-15J fighters, C-2 transport aircraft, and other assets to NATO bases in the United Kingdom, Germany, and other countries, achieving the first stationing of Japanese military aircraft in Europe since World War II.
At the same time, the batch induction of equipment such as the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and KC-46 aerial refueling tankers, along with Reciprocal Access Agreements signed with Australia, the Philippines, and other countries, has provided support for Japan's rapid cross-domain power projection and forward deployment. Japan's overseas military activities continue to expand in geographic scope and to push past red lines in terms of the nature of operations and depth of involvement—this cannot but put the world on alert.
In the face of stern warnings from the international community and strong protests within Japan, the Japanese authorities are nonetheless still racing down the dangerous road of military expansion. On April 21, the Japanese government passed a new version of the 'Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment' and its implementing guidelines, formally lifting the ban on exports of lethal weapons. Japan has also carried out a series of reorganizations of the Self-Defense Forces, including implementing the 'largest reorganization in history' of the Maritime Self-Defense Force, expanding cognitive domain operations (认知领域作战), and enlarging the space force. More seriously, the Japanese government has once again forcibly placed constitutional revision on the political agenda, in an attempt to clear away legal obstacles to 're-militarization.'
As a defeated nation in World War II, Japan should recognize the broad trend of history, cease military adventurism, abide by the 'Peace Constitution' and the norms of international law, and hold firm to the bottom line of peace. If Japan's right-wing forces remain obstinate in their delusion of reviving militarism, what awaits them will inevitably be the tragic end that comes to all those who are bent on war.
[Author's affiliation: Institute of International Strategic Studies, Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance)]