January 16, 2025
“Stop military drills that will lead to war!”, braving the snow, antiwar citizens’ voices of protest echoed through the streets near the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Hijudai training site in Oita Prefecture on January 15.
On this day, the Japan-U.K. joint military exercise “Vigilant Isles 25” commenced with 700 GSDF members and 100 soldiers of the British Army participating. The joint field training exercise will end on January 26.
The protest action was called for by a local network of anti-base activists in Oita.
Urata Ryuji of the local network pointed out that as shown by the Japan-U.S. large-scale military drill “Resolute Dragon 24” last summer, the Japan-U.K. joint military drill this month, and the planned military drill by the U.S. Marine Corps stationed in Okinawa at the end of February, frequent military training exercises are imposing on local people heavier burdens due to the drills.
Hidaka Yukio, secretary general of a prefectural liaison council against U.S. military drills, criticized the “Vigilant Isles 25” joint field training as an example of the Japan-U.K. reciprocal access agreement (RAA) which aims to facilitate bilateral defense cooperation. The secretary general of the liaison council whose members include the Japanese Communist Party said that the RAA contains items, such as one allowing the bringing-in of weapons to both countries, and thus violates Article 9 of the Constitution.
On this day, the Japan-U.K. joint military exercise “Vigilant Isles 25” commenced with 700 GSDF members and 100 soldiers of the British Army participating. The joint field training exercise will end on January 26.
The protest action was called for by a local network of anti-base activists in Oita.
Urata Ryuji of the local network pointed out that as shown by the Japan-U.S. large-scale military drill “Resolute Dragon 24” last summer, the Japan-U.K. joint military drill this month, and the planned military drill by the U.S. Marine Corps stationed in Okinawa at the end of February, frequent military training exercises are imposing on local people heavier burdens due to the drills.
Hidaka Yukio, secretary general of a prefectural liaison council against U.S. military drills, criticized the “Vigilant Isles 25” joint field training as an example of the Japan-U.K. reciprocal access agreement (RAA) which aims to facilitate bilateral defense cooperation. The secretary general of the liaison council whose members include the Japanese Communist Party said that the RAA contains items, such as one allowing the bringing-in of weapons to both countries, and thus violates Article 9 of the Constitution.
