Recently, France and Japan held joint military exercises for the second consecutive year, aiming to send a message to China and Russia about Japan expanding defense partnerships with other countries.
According to reports from Radio France Internationale, the joint military exercises were named “Brunet-Takamori” in honor of military cooperation between the two countries in the 19th century.
France sent nearly 50 soldiers from the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment to train together with Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force’s 39th Infantry Regiment. This marked the first time the French Foreign Legion participated in bilateral exercises with Japanese forces.
The exercises took place at two military bases in northern Japan, focusing on infantry combat supported by drones, and will conclude on Saturday, September 21.
The first joint exercise between the two countries was held in New Caledonia, a French overseas territory, from September to October 2023.
France’s participation in bilateral and multilateral military exercises in the Pacific region is partly aimed at countering China’s increasingly assertive stance.
The French Ministry of Defense stated that the exercises are the first step in developing a strategy conducive to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
In its 2021 strategic update, the French Ministry of Defense warned that China has doubled its defense budget since 2012, becoming the world’s second-largest defense spender and expanding its nuclear arsenal, demonstrating new ambitions in power projection.
Prior to the joint exercises between France and Japan, French Ambassador to Japan Philippe Setton stated that France and Japan are speeding up negotiations to achieve a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between their armed forces within the next few months.
Setton told the Japanese Times that the agreement is an important step in the long-standing relationship between France and Japan, as they aim to deepen connections in all security areas.
He mentioned, “If the Japanese authorities are willing, this legal framework will make it easier for the Self-Defense Forces to deploy to mainland France and its overseas territories.”
Experts believe that easier access for the Self-Defense Forces to strategic islands in the Indian and Pacific regions is crucial for Japan, especially amid growing concerns over China’s expanding presence in the region.
France has seven of its 13 overseas departments, regions, and communities located in the Indian Ocean or the South Pacific. Approximately 1.65 million French citizens reside in these territories, accounting for about 93% of France’s exclusive economic zone.
As a NATO member, France is the only European country with a permanent military presence in the region, with over 6,350 troops stationed there.
Currently, tensions between China and Japan are escalating. This week, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported that a Chinese aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, briefly entered Japan’s contiguous waters for the first time.
Earlier this month, a Chinese naval vessel entered Japan’s southern territorial waters. Last month, Japan confirmed that a Chinese military aircraft entered its airspace for the first time, prompting the dispatch of fighter jets in response.
While France and Japan conducted joint military exercises, Russia and China also held large-scale exercises. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, over 400 warships and more than 90,000 personnel participated in the “Ocean-2024” joint exercise.
Furthermore, Russia deployed its navy and air force to participate in the “Northern/Interaction-2024” exercise with China in the Sea of Japan and the Okhotsk Sea. This exercise is scheduled to take place throughout September in these waters.