Kyodo News ^[1]
Saturday, September 22, 2012

Media organizations observed a joint drill Saturday of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Marine Corps on the western Pacific island of Guam, aimed at strengthening their ability to defend remote islands from foreign assault.

The drill was conducted amid mounting tensions between Japan and China over a Japanese-controlled islet group in the East China Sea claimed by China and Taiwan. The island group is known as the Senkakus in Japan, Diaoyu in China and Tiaoyutai in Taiwan.

In the drill, aimed at regaining control of an island captured by foreign forces, the Japanese and U.S. troops were seen leaving small boats to land on the northern shore of Guam. After landing, the GSDF troops advanced with rifles to “retake” the island.

The GSDF said the two countries conducted the exercise without envisioning any specific island or foreign country.

Full story here. ^[1]