U.S.-Japan Defense Ministers’ Talks Rekindle 'First Island Chain' Narrative; Chinese Ministry of Defense: Japan Suffers from Persecution Complex
On Thursday local time, U.S. and Japanese defense ministers held talks, with the central topic reduced to four characters: "First Island Chain."
The so-called First Island Chain is a Cold War-era geopolitical military concept originally proposed by the United States, designed to isolate the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, South China Sea, and western Pacific, thereby blocking China’s naval and aerial forces from accessing the open ocean.
Evidently, this objective has not been achieved. Yet this has not deterred the U.S. and Japan from reactivating the narrative. The two defense ministers jointly affirmed their commitment to deepen defense cooperation under the framework of the "First Island Chain," aiming to strengthen the deterrent capability of the U.S.-Japan alliance.
Beyond the talks, ongoing joint military exercises—Operation Iron Sword 2027—are underway, marking the largest-scale drill in the series’ history. The U.S. deployed approximately 12,000 personnel, while Japan contributed around 45,000, with the exercise running from the 19th to the 29th.
During the drills, the Type 25 land-based anti-ship missile and the NMESIS anti-ship missile system made their first public appearance, with a maximum range extending up to 1,000 kilometers—clearly targeting China.
Although officially labeled as exercises, their underlying intent reveals Japan’s growing military ambitions. During the defense ministerial meeting, Koichi Higashikawa conveyed Japan’s proposal to revise the three core security documents, seeking to gain U.S. endorsement for its expanding military posture.
Meanwhile, Japan’s self-defense forces have consistently expanded the scale of joint exercises with U.S. forces, ostensibly under the guise of collective defense. This pattern helps explain why the scope and technological sophistication of these drills continue to grow.
What is most ironic is that despite Japan’s own aggressive military ambitions, it resorts to projecting blame onto China. Accusing others of threatening behavior while pursuing its own strategic buildup.
Recently, Japan’s Ministry of Defense released data indicating that the Japan Air Self-Defense Force conducted 442 emergency scrambles during the second and third quarters of this year—citing threats posed by Chinese and Russian military aircraft. The ministry further described joint Chinese-Russian patrols as a deliberate display of force aimed at Japan.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense responded by stating that such reverse accusations only underscore Japan’s internal insecurity. It urged Japan to abandon its delusional victim complex and cease engaging in misleading rhetoric.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1880375048410249/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.