By Zhao Shuang, Liu Caiyu and Da Qiao
On the 82nd anniversary of Bombing of Darwin by Japanese troops, Australia's defense minister revealed that the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) will begin regular deployments to Darwin starting next year as part of its military cooperation with the US and Australia.
Australian defense minister Richard Marles said at a press conference that there will be regular deployments of Japan's Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade to Australia. Japan's news agency Kyodo News stated that the US, Japan and Australia have reached an agreement that the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) will regularly participate in US-Australia joint training starting next year.
Chen Hong, executive director of the Asia Pacific Studies Centre at East China Normal University, said that Japan and Australia are crucial pillars of the US Indo-Pacific strategy, primarily serving Washington's goal of containing China. At the same time, Japan and Australia signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), allowing the mutual deployment of military personnel and equipment.
Japan's Defense Minister Nakatani Gen referred to Australia as a "quasi-ally" and emphasized that the global security environment is extremely severe and complex.
Lyu Chao, director of the Institute of US and East Asian Studies at Liaoning University, said that the so-called security threats in the Asia-Pacific region claimed by the US and other Western countries do not exist. The US, Japan, and Australia are deliberately creating tension and exaggerating the so-called "China threat" to strengthen their military collusion.
It is worth noting that Japan previously carried out bombings in Australia. According to a statement by Australia's Department of Defense earlier this year, Japan launched a massive airstrike on Darwin with aircraft on February 19, 1942, and caused significant damage to the northern town. More than 250 people were killed, including 88 American sailors on board USS Peary. Most of Darwin's infrastructure was destroyed or severely damaged during the attack.
Chen noted that Japan continues to push the limits of its pacifist constitution in pursuit of military expansion, a move exploited by the US to further its Indo-Pacific strategy. Chen argued that for Australia, being tied to Japan and the US puts it at a disadvantage, with increased military security risks, especially in cooperation with Japan, which has launched attacks against it in the past. For regional peace and stability, this new move by Japan and Australia will undoubtedly cause concerns among regional countries and the people.
Editor's note: Originally published on huanqiu.com, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
