Japan and Germany announced plans on May 6 to hold joint naval exercises to “maintain the rules-based international order.” Despite forming an alliance over the last world war, the two nations have never coordinated naval efforts, which leads one to believe they are planning for a massive international conflict.
Germany and Japan joined forces during World War II to fight off the Soviets. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that not Russia but China is the new prominent threat – well, a new threat to Germany as the Chinese and Japanese have a long history of brutal warfare and generational hatred.
“We are observing these developments with concern,” the defense minister said, emphasizing China’s significant responsibility for global peace and stability. He also noted that China is a partner for Germany, underscoring the importance of leveraging these ties. The two nations have already performed joint air force exercises as well, and Germany plans to deploy a supply ship and aircraft to the Indo-Pacific region in 2024, a move that will certainly put China on defense.
Pistorius believes that Russia’s attack on Ukraine was a “turning point” that should encourage nations to come together to disband unfriendly nations. “Our military experts tell us that Russia would theoretically be able to attack NATO territory in five to eight years. Regardless of whether Moscow would take this risk or not, we must be prepared for anything,” he announced.
No, Italy was not invited to join this time around. This alliance would have raised eyebrows a few decades ago. Japan was prohibited from having a military after World War II, leading to the establishment of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) in 1954. Technically, they are a “non-military organization” but one of the top 10 most funded agencies in the world for military purposes. Japan relies on protection from the West, but the West is now helping Japan to become a major military power once again.
Germany increased military spending by 9% from 2023 to 2022, spending $66.8 billion on military efforts. The year 2024 marks the third consecutive year that Germany has spent more on its defense as it works to strengthen its position as a major military power in Europe. The nation is still failing to meet its 2% NATO obligation, paying only 1.5%, but has announced that they will be in compliance by next year – right on time for when things begin to heat up.
