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Straits Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
‘Greatest strategic challenge': Japan reiterates China threat in annual defence review
A Chinese JH-7 fighter-bomber flying close to a Japan Air Self-Defence Force YS-11EB intelligence-gathering aircraft over the high seas in the East China Sea, on July 9. – China's repeated intrusions into Japanese territorial airspace and waters, coupled with a series of dangerous manoeuvres, mark a relentless campaign to change the status quo by force, Tokyo asserted in its annual defence review released on July 15. Such actions mean China poses 'an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge' to Japan's security – a descriptor that was first adopted in 2022 in revised National Security Strategy documents. This demands a response rooted in 'comprehensive national power', the Defence Ministry said in its white paper, which has been chronicling security developments yearly since 1976. The release of the 538-page document comes days after cannon-equipped Chinese Coast Guard ships again entered Japanese waters near the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islets on July 9. That same day, a Chinese JH-7 fighter bomber flew within 30m – roughly the length of a basketball court – of a YS-11 Japanese intelligence-gathering aircraft over the East China Sea. The following day, a JH-7 bomber again came close to a YS-11 plane, this time within 60m. Japan's defence ministry released photographs that show that the JH-7 might have been equipped with air-to-air missiles, and stressed that such 'abnormal' encounters carry a significant risk of accidental aerial collisions. Beijing retorted that its actions were legitimate and, instead, criticised Japan for entering China's air defence identification zone (ADIZ). China had unilaterally declared an ADIZ in 2013 that encompasses overlapping areas with Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years These incidents come just a month after China's unprecedented simultaneous deployment of two aircraft carriers in the Western Pacific, accompanied by Chinese J-15 fighter jets' 'unusually close' encounters with Japanese P-3C patrol planes. While the Self-Defence Forces (SDF) are called upon as Japan's first responders to external threats, the extent of their capabilities is constrained by demographic pressures. The trend of declining births , which is only picking up speed with fewer than 700,000 babies born in 2024 for the first time on record, has contributed to a chronic shortage of boots on the ground. 'Each and every SDF personnel constitutes the greatest pillar of our defence capability,' Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani wrote in the white paper's foreword. 'Stably securing personnel is an utmost priority, and it is essential to establish arrangements so that they can dedicate themselves with pride, honour and a strong sense of mission to national defence, a duty critically important to the nation.' Yet recruitment has consistently fallen short of targets in a nation that, unlike regional territories like Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, does not have mandatory conscription. This means there is no large reserve force to tap on, while any attempt to mandate conscription – like in Cambodia, which said on July 14 it would do so from 2026 – is constitutionally difficult. This is despite recent measures to raise the recruitment age ceiling from 27 years to 32 years old, and loosen rules on haircuts and tattoos. But the SDF enlisted fewer than 10,000 new recruits each in 2023 and 2024, with the total number of personnel now at 90 per cent of the intended 247,154 people. The shortfall between the targeted strength and actual headcount is only widening, exacerbated by a cut-throat battle for manpower with the private sector that promises far better wages. It is not for the lack of trying. The Defence Ministry has an ongoing recruitment blitz with direct outreach to universities and, controversially, targeted advertising at poor families. It has put up recruitment banners outside train stations and city halls, and produced snazzy advertisements on social media. 'In order to fundamentally strengthen defence capabilities in response to the most severe security environment since World War II, it is urgent and essential to secure the necessary personnel, lest the situation worsens,' the white paper said. A senior defence ministry official told ST on condition of anonymity that the recruitment challenge is typically 'impacted by a better economy'. This is not unique to the SDF and is also felt in 'other uniformed public sectors such as the police and fire departments'. Tokyo has historically struggled to raise wages for its public service, even as it has exhorted the private sector to do so. In 2025, private sector wages increased by an average 5.25 per cent – the biggest pay hike in 34 years – although salaries have still failed to keep pace with inflation. For the first time, the SDF is targeting millennials and Gen Z. The manga-style cover art of the defence white paper was done by 29-year-old digital illustrator Honoka Yoshifuku, featuring three SDF personnel from the three branches of Air, Ground and Maritime, including a female pilot. This artistic choice is noteworthy, as Tokyo uses the cover design of the white paper to reflect the mood of a particular period. Japan's Defence White Paper 2025 features manga-style illustrations of three Self-Defence Forces personnel from the Air, Ground and Maritime branches. PHOTO: JAPAN MINISTRY OF DEFENCE In 2024, the cover featured a sword being forged on an anvil to mark the SDF's 70th anniversary and to symbolise deterrence in how Japan has been 'working very hard to forge its 'sword' to avoid having to draw it'. Previous covers have included one generated by artificial intelligence to symbolise nascent threats, and another, rendered in sumi-e (ink wash painting) to reflect bushido, or the righteous samurai way. For 2025, the Defence Ministry devoted a new section of the report to highlight better perks. Wages are being bumped up with the 'unprecedented introduction and raising of more than 30 allowances'. Starting salaries for enlistees will also be raised to 198,800 yen (S$1,725) per month, from 157,000 yen per month. Living conditions are being improved with private sleeping quarters, 'stylish' furniture in shared spaces, better showers and toilets, and even internet connectivity on the high seas. The document further humanises active service personnel through first-person anecdotes like that of Air Self-Defence Force staff sergeant Tomohiro Miyazaki, who admitted to 'experiencing first-hand the nerves from using real ammunition' during a joint live-fire training exercise with the United States. Maritime Self-Defence Force lieutenant (junior grade) Yukiko Nojima said she was able to 'spend time in a well-balanced way' even when out at sea, with satellite communications allowing crew to keep in touch with their families on social media and even watch videos on YouTube. But would all these perks be enough to reverse the yawning recruitment shortfall? Professor Heng Yee Kuang of University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Public Policy told The Straits Times: 'The SDF has difficult recruiting because the job is perceived as 'three Ks': kitsui (demanding/hard), kitanai (dirty), kibishii (strict/harsh).' Despite attempts to rehabilitate the SDF's image, perceptions of a volatile security environment amid wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and potential conflict over Taiwan 'may unfortunately entrench negative perceptions that life in the SDF only means the 'three Ks'', he said. 'The operational military environment is becoming harsher with ever more risky intercepts of Japanese surveillance aircraft by Chinese warplanes and more frequent lengthier intrusions by Chinese vessels into Japanese waters,' Prof Heng added. The silver lining, defence officials said, was that technological innovation is one way the SDF can compensate for the widening manpower shortfall. 'One way is to use unmanned technology as far as possible,' the defence ministry official told ST, when asked if the chronic shortage of personnel would hurt Japan's ability to defend itself in case of an imminent war. 'We must urgently promote research and development of artificial intelligence, drones and other technologies such that we can continue our activities even if there is a lack of personnel.'
News18
6 days ago
- Politics
- News18
China Dares US, Crosses Second-Island Chain; Japan Conveys "Concern" Days After Jet Close Call
On July 13, China criticized Japan's protest over 'unusual' air encounters, defending its actions as lawful and professional in its East China Sea ADIZ. Beijing accused Japan of provocative surveillance. Meanwhile, China deployed two aircraft carriers near Guam for the first time, drawing concern in Tokyo. The US urged Japan and Australia to clarify their roles in a possible Taiwan conflict. Australia launched a massive war drill with 30,000 troops, expecting Chinese surveillance, which has occurred during past exercises. 00:00 - INTRODUCTION02:46 - CHINA DEPLOYS TWO AIRCRAFT CARRIERS IN PACIFIC FOR FIRST TIME03:53 - US SEEKS JAPAN, AUSTRALIA'S POSITION ON TAIWAN WAR ROLEn18oc_world n18oc_crux
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Business Standard
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
China's illegitimate military moves threaten peace in Taiwan Strait: US
China's intensified military activities around Taiwan ahead of the nation's annual Han Kuang exercises have drawn sharp criticism from the United States, which called Beijing's actions illegitimate and destabilising, Taipei Times reported. According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND), 41 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval vessels were detected near the island within 24 hours, ending at 6 am yesterday. Of these, 27 aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, intruding into Taiwan's northern, central, and southwestern air defense identification zones (ADIZ), the Taipei Times noted. In response, Taiwan's armed forces activated patrol aircraft, naval vessels, and coastal missile systems to monitor and counter the threat. The military remains on alert as live-fire drills of the Han Kuang exercises are set to begin on Wednesday and run through July 18, an extension from previous years, Taipei Times reported. A spokesperson for the US Department of State said on Thursday that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are vital to global security. The official condemned China's military threats as "irresponsible" and urged Beijing to refrain from provocative actions that risk escalating tensions in the region, according to Taipei Times. The annual Han Kuang exercises, held since 1984, combine live-fire training with computerised war simulations to enhance Taiwan's defence readiness in the face of growing military pressure from China. In a related incident, Taiwan's defense ministry confirmed that a Chinese carrier rocket passed through the island's southwestern ADIZ on Thursday. However, the rocket was flying above Earth's atmosphere and posed no threat, the Taipei Times reported. The rocket, launched from China's Xichang Satellite Launch Centre at 5:37 pm, was headed toward the western Pacific. Taiwan's military tracked the event using joint surveillance and intelligence systems, with alert measures in place. The US has reiterated its support for Taiwan amid China's continued coercion in military, economic, and diplomatic spheres, as reported by Taipei Times.
South China Morning Post
21-06-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Decoding PLA moves around Taiwan: 3 categories, 3 levels of signalling?
Manoeuvres around Taiwan by the People's Liberation Army have become a routine affair, but their tempo and intensity have steadily increased in recent years. Advertisement What were occasional sorties before 2020 have evolved into a well-coordinated campaign designed not only for combat training but also for strategic signalling. But not all PLA operations around Taiwan are the same. They fall into three main categories: near-daily aerial patrols, combat-readiness patrols, and large-scale joint forces exercises – each varying in scale, intensity and purpose. So what kind of signals do each of these send? Near-daily patrols PLA Air Force sorties around Taiwan have been carried out on an almost daily basis since 2021, with a sharp increase in numbers observed since 2024, after Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te assumed office. Advertisement According to PLATracker, an open-source database based on Taiwanese defence ministry reports, fewer than 20 PLA aircraft entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) in 2019.
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First Post
02-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Airspace closure: The 1991 India-Pakistan treaty that forbids air violations at LoC, borders
Bilateral airspace pact between India and Pakistan sets clear rules to prevent aerial conflict and foster military transparency. Here's a look at the agreement in detail read more In a move aimed at reducing the risk of accidental conflict, India and Pakistan signed a landmark airspace agreement in New Delhi on April 6, 1991. The primary objective of the accord was to prevent violations of each other's airspace and establish clear operational protocols for both militaries. As per the document on UN website, under the agreement, both nations' air force headquarters received defined guidelines to regulate aerial activity near the border, minimising the potential for misunderstandings or miscalculations that could lead to military escalation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The pact was designed as a confidence-building measure, ensuring that routine or accidental incursions would not spiral into conflict. By formalising airspace boundaries and communication procedures, the agreement sought to prevent confusion from triggering a war-like scenario along one of the world's most volatile frontiers. A look at the airspace agreement between India and Pakistan: The pact between India and Pakistan was signed in New Delhi on April 6, 1991, but it took effect on August 19, 1992, when the papers of ratification were exchanged. There are nine articles in the agreement. Article 1 (Air Violations ) Both India and Pakistan would take appropriate precautions to ensure that no side violates the other's airspace. However, if any inadvertent violations occur; The event will be thoroughly investigated, and the results will be communicated to the other Air Force's Headquarters (HQ) via diplomatic channels as soon as possible. Article 2 Subject to Articles 3, 4 and 6, the following restrictions are to be observed by military aircraft of both the forces:- Combat aircraft (to include fic'nter, bomber, reconnaissance, jet military and armed helicopter aircraft) will not fly within 10 kms of each other's airspace including ADIZ. No aircraft of any side will enter the airspace over the territorial waters of the ether country, except by prior permission. Unarmed transport and logistics aircraft including unarmed helicopters, and Air Observation Post (AOP) aircraft, will be permitted up to 1000 metres from each other'sairspace including ADIZ. Article - 3 (Aerial Survey/ Supply Dropping, Mercy and Rescue Missions) In the event of a country having to undertake flights less than 1000 metres from the other's airspace including ADIZ, for purposes such as aerial survey, supply dropping for mercy missions and aerial rescue missions/ the country concerned will give the following information in advance to their own Air Advisors for notification to the Air HQ of the other country: Type of aircraft/helicopter Height of flight within Plus/Minus 1000 ft Block No. of days (normally not to exceed sevendays) when flights are proposed to be undertaken Proposed timing of flight, where possible Area involved (in latitude and longitude) No formal clearance would be required as the flights are being undertaken within own territory Article - 4 (Air exercises near border) In order to avoid any tension being created/ prior notice be given with regard to air exercises/ or any special air activity proposed to be undertaken close to each other's airspace including ADIZ/ even though the limits as laid down in Article 2 are not likely to be infringed. Article - 5 (Communication between IAF and PAF) In matters of safety and any air operations in emergency situations/ the authorities designated by the respective governments should contact each other by the quickest means of communications available. The Air Advisor shall be kept informed of such contacts. Matters of flight safety and urgent air operations should promptly be brought to the notice of the other side through the authorities designated by using the telephone line established between the Army Headquarters of the two countries. Article - 6 (Operations from air fields close to the borders) Combat aircraft (as defined in Article 2 a. above) operating from the air bases specified below will maintain adistance of 5 kms from each other's airspace: Indian Side Jammu. Pathankot Amritsar Suratgarh Pakistan Side Pasrur Lahore Vehari Rahim Yar Khan Article - 7 (Flights of military aircraft through each other's air space) Military aircraft may fly through each other's airspace with the prior permission of the other country and subject to conditions specified in Appendix A to this Agreement. Notwithstanding paragraph 1 of this Article, each country has the sovereign richt to specify further conditions, at short notice, for flights of military aircraft through its airspace. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Article - 8 (Validity of agreement) This Agreement supersedes all previous understandings in so far as air space violations and over flights and landings by military aircraft are concerned Article - 9 This Agreement is subject to ratification. It shall come into force with effect from the date on which the Instruments of Ratification are exchanged Appendix A Conditions for grant of flight clearance for military aircraft of both countries The aide requesting permission for their military aircraft to fly through the air space of the other country or for landing(s) by such aircraft at airfield(s) in the other country will approach the respective Air HQ through their Air Advisor for clearance to undertake the flight, at least seven days before the scheduled date(s) of the flight(s). If, due to unforeseen circumstances this notice is less than seven days, the other country would, as far as possible, make all efforts to accommodate the request. The following details of each flight will be intimated to the concerned Air Headquarters: * Aircraft type * Aircraft registration number * Aircraft call sign * Name of the Captain of the Aircraft * Number of the crew * Cruising level * General nature of cargo carried and number of passengers who are on board the Aircraft * Purpose of the flight * Standby aircraft number and call sign * Name of standby Captain and air crew * Flight plan for outbound and return legs including air route, Flight Information Region (FIR) entry/exit points and times, Expected Time of Arrival (ETAs)/Expected Time of Departure (ETDs) and flight levels etc * Type and quantity of fuel required at various airfields landing All flights approved will be valid for 3 days within plus/minus three hours of the given time schedule of each day, provided flight details remain unchanged. Any subsequent changes of the flight plan will require fresh clearance from Air HQ, for which advance notice of 72 hours will be essential. Routes to be followed by aircraft will be specified by respective countries at the time of requesting flight clearance. If the route proposed by the originator country is, for any reason, not acceptable to the other country, the latter would, if possible, suggest a viable alternative route at the earliest. The aircraft will not fly below 8000 ft or over 40,000 ft Above Ground Level (AGL). The concerned Flight Information Centre of the other country will be contacted by the transiting aircraft during the flight before entering the airspace of the other country. Flights across each other's airspace will normally be completed between sunrise and sunset. Over-flights by night may be permitted, on specific request, under special circumstances. No war-like material e.g. arms/ammunition, explosives (except escape aid explosives), pyrotechnics (except emergency very light pistol signal cartridges), nuclear/fissionable material, Nuclear Biological and Chemical (NBC) materials, photographic material (whether or not installed), electronic devices other than required for the normal operation of the aircraft, may be carried in the aircraft. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD on-professional cameras belonging to the passengers and which are not capable of aerial photography may, however, be carried but photography at airports or of defence installations, bridges and industries etc. is not permitted. Normally, both countries shall permit overflights to transit across the other's airspace along approved international Air Traffic Services (ATS) routes without the aircraft having to make a technical halt. However, each country has the sovereign right to insist on such a halt if the country being overflown so desires. Special care is to be exercised by the transiting aircraft to stay within the ATS routes and not to stray outside the limits of the route. Visas for the crew and passengers will be issued by the respective Embassy with utmost promptness.
