Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

US/Japan to use force for international peacekeeping.

Little by little words of war are creeping into the security agreements of countries.

-Am

U.S., Japan to conduct joint exercises

Associated Press
November 09, 2004


TOKYO — The United States and Japan will carry out joint military drills this week aimed at increasing their ability to defend against security threats, officials said Tuesday.
“Exercise Keen Sword” will begin Wednesday and will involve air, ground and sea operations at U.S. and Japanese military installations throughout Japan, the 5th Air Force headquarters said in a statement released in Tokyo.

The 10-day exercise reflects the countries’ “continued commitment” to ensuring security in the Asia-Pacific region and aim to, “increase the defensive readiness of Japanese and American forces,” the statement said.

The troops will practice evacuating civilians, conducting search-and-rescue operations and boosting security at military bases among other activities, the statement said.

Some 11,300 members of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and 4,400 U.S. military personnel will take part in the drills, Kyodo News agency said.

Japanese troops cooperate closely with the U.S. military under a joint security treaty that has some 50,000 American troops based in this country.

The two countries recently revised a security agreement to extend the scope of their military cooperation, allowing both sides’ troops to use force when defending Japanese territory or when deployed for international peacekeeping.

The revision still has to be approved by Japan’s Parliament.




http://www.navytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-495841.php