Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:
アメリカ軍 尖閣諸島近海で“実際の作戦”想定とみられる訓練
2021年4月22日 6時18分
中国当局の船による航行が常態化している沖縄県の尖閣諸島の近海で、ことし2月、アメリカ軍が兵士を輸送機から降下させる訓練を計画し、海に物資を投下したとみられることが日本の防衛関係者への取材でわかりました。アメリカ軍が尖閣諸島の近海で実際の作戦を想定したとみられる訓練を行うのは極めて異例で、米中の対立が深まる中、この地域への関与を強めようとする動きだと受け止められています。
日本の防衛関係者によりますと、ことし2月17日、アメリカ軍の輸送機が尖閣諸島の上空を飛行し、その途中、何らかの物資を海に投下したとみられるということです。
その直前、アメリカ軍から自衛隊に対し、兵士を輸送機から降下させる訓練を計画していると通告があったということで、実際には兵士は降下させなかったものの、訓練の一環として物資を投下したとみられています。
尖閣諸島の近海でアメリカ軍が実際の作戦を想定したとみられる訓練を行うのは極めて異例で、日本の防衛関係者の間では、米中の対立が深まる中、アメリカ軍がこの地域への関与を強めようとする動きだと受け止められています。
尖閣諸島沖で中国海警局の船の領海侵入や接続水域での航行が常態化する中、この海域での米中両国軍の動向を日本側は注視しています。
アメリカ軍が尖閣諸島に関与する姿勢 態度で示したとの見方も
海上自衛隊の自衛艦隊司令官を務め、尖閣諸島周辺での警戒・監視を指揮した経験のある元海将の山下万喜さんは「今回の日米首脳会談で尖閣諸島への日米安保条約の適用が改めて確認されたが、アメリカ軍が尖閣諸島に関与する姿勢を態度で示したという見方もできるのではないか」と話しています。
そのうえで「今後、アメリカ軍が東シナ海でさらに踏み込んだ活動を行った時に、予期していないことや、誤解による大きな変化が起きないようにすることが非常に重要だ」と話し、偶発的な衝突を防ぐため日本はアメリカと緊密に意思疎通を図る必要があると指摘しています。
Translation
It was believed that in February in the waters near the
Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture where navigation by Chinese authorities was
becoming a norm, the U.S. military had planned training to drop soldiers from
transport aircraft, and had dropped supplies into the sea. This was learned from an
interview with Japanese defense personnel. It was extremely unusual for the
U.S. military to conduct training that appeared to be an actual operation in
the waters near the Senkaku Islands, and it was perceived as a move to strengthen
its involvement in the region as the conflict between the United States and
China deepened.
According to Japanese defense officials, it was believed
that on February 17, a US military transport plane flew over the Senkaku
Islands and dropped some supplies into the sea on the way.
Immediately before that, the U.S. military notified the Self-Defense Forces that they were planning to train soldiers to drop from a transport plane. Although they did not actually drop them, it was believed that they dropped supplies as part of the training.
Also, although the relationship with training was unknown, on this day, a Chinese fighter approached the sky above the Senkaku Islands, an Air Self-Defense Force fighter was scrambled = an emergency take-off, and a Chinese Navy ship in the vicinity also shown a move to approach the Senkaku Islands.
It was extremely unusual for the U.S. military to conduct training that appeared to be an actual operation in the waters near the Senkaku Islands. Among Japanese defense officials, this was perceived as a move to strengthen the U.S. military involvement in the region as the conflict between the U.S. and China deepened.
As it became the norm for the China Coast Guard ships to intrude
into this territory and navigate in the continental zone off the coast of the
Senkaku Islands, the Japanese side closely watched the movements of the US and
Chinese forces in this area.
There is also a view that the U.S. military had shown an attitude
of involvement in the Senkaku Islands
Maki Yamashita, a former chief of staff who served as the
commander of the Self-Defense Fleet of the Maritime Self-Defense Force and had
commanding experience on alerts and surveillance around the Senkaku Islands,
said, "At a recent round of Japan-US summit
meeting, the application of the Japan-US Security Treaty to the Senkaku Islands
has been reconfirmed, it may be possible to say that the US military has shown
an attitude of being involved in the Senkaku Islands. "
He added, "As the U.S. military goes further in the East China Sea in the future, it is very important to prevent unexpected things or major changes due to misunderstandings"; and also pointed out that Japan needed to communicate closely with the United States to prevent accidental conflicts.
My
perception is that in the Japan-US summit meeting held in Washington earlier, the
application of the Japan-US Security Treaty to the Senkaku Islands has been
reconfirmed. It can be said that the US
military now shows to Japan (and China) its willingness to be involved in the
Senkaku Islands security.
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