Military holds drill on Japan island

Armed and ready: Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force’s Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB) soldiers taking part in a marine landing drill as a part of the country’s nationwide 05JX military exercises at Tokunoshima island, Kagoshima prefecture, southwestern Japan. — Reuters

JAPANESE marines in amphibious assault vehicles stormed an island beach at the edge of the East China Sea in a simulated attack to dislodge invaders from territory that Tokyo worries is vulnerable to attack from China.

As tensions run high with neighbours China, Russia and North Korea, the drill yesterday on the southwest island of Tokunoshima capped an 11-day series of exercises nationwide dubbed 05JX, meant to show the readiness of ground, sea and air forces to defend Japan’s territory and infrastructure, including nuclear power plants.