Japan to send hundreds of troops near South China Sea

Japan will send nearly 500 group troops to the disputed islands in the South China Sea as tensions with the Chinese mounts. Japan, along with the United States, has urged China not to pursue military activities in the region to avoid risking war with other countries.

Japan’s deputy defence minister sought the support of the mayor of a southern island over plans to deploy troops in the region, close to the disputed East China Sea islands. Vice Minister of Defence Kenji Wakamiya and Mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama met on Thursday to discuss the deployment of ground troops starting 2019. The troops will be placed to answer emergency situations, especially in light of infiltration on nearby islands including missile defence. Ishigaki maintains jurisdiction on the Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands. Consequently, China also claims rights over the region it refers to as Diaoyu islands.

China's military build-up in the South China Sea along with its alleged construction of artificial bases got countries like Japan and the United States worried. Japan has boosted its defence readiness particularly on islands along the country's south-western region. According to the Associate Press (AP,) China and North Korea's nuclear and missile weapons and international waters activities remain the top agenda for Japan's security concerns.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe already passed new security laws last September in light of such concerns. This is despite widespread criticism that the laws are going against Japan's war-renouncing constitution. The country has already started constructing a base in Yonaguni, allowing deployment of around 150 coastal monitoring troops. There are plans to deploy more troops on Miyako and Amamioshima islands in the next two years.

Japan previously supported the United States in challenging Beijing's claims to "freedom of navigation." Defence Minister Gen Nakatani expressed his support for the US Navy’s warship navigating near China's artificial islands in the South China Sea. He also said that the United States is leading efforts to uphold international law and protect peaceful regions such as the South China Sea. The country has also agreed to have joint military drills with the US.

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