The Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military stationed in Japan on Tuesday conducted their first joint exercise involving the rescue of Japanese civilians from military hot spots.
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| The Self-Defense Forces and U.S. military conduct a joint drill at the U.S. Marine Corps Iwakuni base to practice airlifting Japanese civilians out of a military hot spot. |
The U.S. Marine Corps base in Iwakuni was the main venue for the drill, an exercise simulating an emergency in "areas surrounding Japan" as outlined in new bilateral defense cooperation guidelines.
In the drill, which began at around 9 a.m., members of the Ground and Air Self-Defense forces worked with the marines and the U.S. Air Force to airlift civilians from a hangar at Iwakuni base, which was "an airport in another country in chaos," to "Japan" -- the Tsuiki ASDF base in Fukuoka Prefecture.
At the hangar, rescue teams conducted security checks and confirmed identification papers of the "civilians" -- SDF and U.S. military personnel playing the role -- requesting evacuation.
Some 550 service members and six aircraft were involved in the operation, according to military officials.
Some non-Japanese were also airlifted, as the guidelines also allow for the evacuation of non-Japanese requesting protection.
Meanwhile, roughly 100 protesters assembled outside the Tsuiki base, charging that the drill will lead to a full overseas dispatch of the SDF.
Hiroko Watanabe, leader of a citizens' group, voiced her opposition to the drill, saying it was clear "the two nations aim to galvanize their bilateral security treaty and watch over the whole of Asia."