US and Japan begin major joint military exercise as fears of Chinese aggression grow

Japanese and United States forces began extensive joint military drills Monday, involving air, sea and land exercises around Japan, in a show of force likely intended to draw the attention of an increasingly emboldened China.

The Chinese military has recently increased its military activity in the East China Sea and the Keen Sword exercise is first big drill since Yoshihide Suga replaced Shinzo Abe as Japan’s prime minister in September, according to Reuters.

Keen Sword is held biennially and involves hundreds of aircraft, dozens of warships and in excess of 45,000 soldiers, sailors and marines from Japan and the United States. It is set to conclude on November 5 and will for the first time ever include cyber and electronic warfare training.

“The security situation around Japan has become increasingly severe. This gives us the opportunity to demonstrate the strength of the Japan-U.S. alliance,” General Koji Yamazaki, Japan’s top military commander said on board the Kaga helicopter carrier in waters south of Japan.

Suga visited Vietnam and Indonesia earlier in the month in an effort to reinforce ties with Japan's South-East Asian neighbors. In addition, Tokyo hosted a meeting of the so-called "Quad" - Japan, United States, India and - for the first time since 2007 - Australia - each of them concerned with increased Chinese military aggression in the region. 

A loose agglomeration - although China has significant disputes with each of the participants - Beijing has denounced the grouping as a "mini-NATO" aimed at attempting to contain it.

Washington and Tokyo have been particularly alarmed by recent Chinese activity that includes new security laws in Hong Kong aimed at undermining the colony's autonomy, China's military build-up in the South China Sea and the political and military harassment of Taiwan.