[1/4] Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force's (JGSDF) AH-64 Apache helicopter flies over JGSDF's Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB) soldiers and the U.S. Marines during ARDB's military drill at an uninhabited Irisuna island close to Okinawa, Japan, November 15, 2023.
The flight over Irisuna, about 70 kilometres (43.5 miles) from the main Okinawa island, was part of the country's 11-day nationwide 05JX.
The drills, which end Monday, also include an air defence exercise in Japan’s north and simulated attacks on five nuclear reactors including the Fukushima plant.
Trained to conduct operations from the sea, his unit was established in 2018 to help Japan defend the Okinawa islands, which stretch from the main Japanese islands to close to Taiwan.
Japan's increasing defence budget will allow the ARDB to add a third regiment, Nashinoki said.
Persons:
Issei Kato, Fumio Kishida, Shingo Nashinoki, Nashinoki, Tim Kelly, Gerry Doyle
Organizations:
Defense, JGSDF's, Rapid Deployment Brigade, U.S, Marines, REUTERS, Apache, Wednesday, Japan's Self Defence Forces, Japan's, Irisuna, Thomson
Locations:
Okinawa, Japan, East Asia, China, Russia, East China, South China, Pacific, Taiwan