Japan on Saturday activated its first marine unit since World War II trained to counter invaders occupying Japanese islands along the edge of the East China Sea that Tokyo fears are vulnerable to attack by China.
In a ceremony held at a military base near Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, about 1,500 members of the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB) wearing camouflage took part in the event.
"Given the increasingly difficult defense and security situation surrounding Japan, defense of our islands has become a critical mandate," Vice Defense Minister Tomohiro Yamamoto said in a speech.