Japan, France to Conduct First Joint Fighter Jet Drill – The Diplomat

Japan’s Air Self-Protection Power (JASDF) introduced on July 18 that Japan and France will maintain their first-ever joint fighter jet drill in Japan subsequent week. That marks a historic milestone within the two nation’s protection and safety ties amid China’s army buildup and regional assertiveness.

With the French Air and Area Power (FASF)’s mainstay fighter jet, the Rafale, flying to Japan for the primary time later this month, their first-ever joint air fight coaching will even display France’s robust dedication to broaden deployments within the Indo-Pacific in a bid to bolster regional safety.

The train will run from July 26 to 29 at Nyutabaru Air Base in Miyazaki Prefecture of Kyushu Island in addition to within the airspace of the Kanto area of jap Japan, in response to the JASDF.

The JASDF is taking part with three F-15 and two F-2 fighters, one KC-767 gas transport, and one C-2 transport plane, whereas the FASF is fielding two Dassault Rafale fighter jets, one Airbus A330 Multi-Function Tanker Transport plane, and one Airbus A400M transport plane, together with a contingent of round 120 personnel.

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“We imagine that the joint train will deepen mutual understanding between Japan and France, promote France’s involvement within the areas surrounding Japan, and grow to be a big initiative towards the belief of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” Japanese Protection Minister Hamada Yasukazu stated at a daily press convention on July 18.

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The chief of workers of the JASDF and the chief of workers of the FASF and can maintain a joint press convention on July 27 at Nyutabaru Air Base, the place the Rafale will arrive. As well as, on July 28, a France-Japan joint exhibition flight, together with the Rafale, is scheduled to happen over Iruma Air Base and the realm round Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park in Saitama Prefecture, in response to the Embassy of France in Japan.

The train is a part of the Pégase 2023 mission, a long-range, transcontinental power-projection train that French army is conducting from June 25 to August 3. This mission entails tens of plane deploying from France to the Indo-Pacific area, together with Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Qatar, and Djibouti, in addition to French New Caledonia, and Polynesia, and others, in response to France’s Protection Ministry and the Embassy of France in Japan.

France has lengthy thought-about itself to be an essential stakeholder in Indo-Pacific safety, given its abroad territories within the area. It’s the solely European nation with a everlasting naval presence on this a part of the world. Greater than 90 p.c of France’s unique financial zone is within the Indo-Pacific – together with territories equivalent to French Polynesia and New Caledonia – and about 1.6 million French nationals dwell within the area.

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Adm. Pierre Vandier, chief of workers of the French Navy, stated in an interview in Tokyo in November 2022 that it is necessary for international locations working within the Indo-Pacific to keep up dialogue with China and that the French Navy’s deployments within the area – together with these within the Taiwan Strait – aren’t geared toward any particular international locations.

“France values freedom of navigation however we additionally don’t wish to provoke a selected nation. I feel the route we take [in the Taiwan Strait] will change every time,” giving consideration to each the USA and China, he stated at the moment.

That’s according to the philosophy of the Emmanuel Macron administration in France. Macron has refused to see the Indo-Pacific area divided into two blocs by the China-U.S. battle; as an alternative, France is aiming for its personal “third means” to ease tensions.

In the meantime, the JASDF additionally not too long ago held its first joint drills with each the German and Indian air forces in Japan. The train with German forces passed off in September 2022, and the drill with India this January.

Japan apparently goals to reinforce protection ties with quite a lot of international locations, with China’s growing assertive army actions in thoughts.