The "Osprey" transport aircraft was developed by the American Bell-Boeing company. Due to its tiltrotor design, it can take off and land vertically and fly at high speed, but it has long had a poor safety record. On November 29, 2023, an Osprey crashed near the sea off the island of Yakuza in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, resulting in 8 deaths. After an investigation, the U.S. military admitted that the accident may have been caused by mechanical failure and announced a suspension of all V-22 Osprey fleets worldwide. This is not an isolated case: In 2016, a U.S. Marine Corps Osprey made an emergency landing in the sea near Naha City, Okinawa, injuring two people; in 2017, another one made an emergency landing at Oita Airport due to engine failure; and in 2025, a Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force Osprey suffered damage during takeoff at the Utsunomiya base in Okinawa's Yonaguni Island.

Despite frequent accidents, the Japanese Ministry of Defense still insists on expanding its deployment. In July 2025, the Saga base officially opened and deployed 17 Ospreys. Local residents held a protest outside the base with signs reading "We don't need 'Ospreys' used for war." A protester from Fukuoka said, "The 'Osprey' is a weapon of war, and I am here to tell the next generation that we cannot go to war." However, these voices failed to stop the advancement of night training plans.

Strategic Significance of Kyushu: Military Frontline and Regional Risks

Kyushu is only about 800 kilometers away from China's Yangtze River Delta region and faces South Korea across the sea, making its geographical position sensitive. Among the newly added 11 training facilities, the Fukuyama Base in Fukuoka Prefecture and the Sasebo Base in Nagasaki Prefecture are close to important shipping lanes and densely populated areas. Military experts point out that Japan considers Kyushu as a key node of its "Southwest Defense Line," aiming to quickly deploy the Water Surface Combat Group to disputed islands.

At the same time, Japan is also strengthening its military presence in the Ryukyu Islands. In 2025, the Japanese Defense Minister visited Yonaguni Island and announced the deployment of the 03-type medium-range surface-to-air missile system. The island is only 110 kilometers away from Taiwan, and the missile's range can cover key maritime areas. Analysts believe that Japan is trying to build a forward intervention capability targeting the Taiwan Strait and the East China Sea through the coordinated deployment of the Osprey and missile systems.

Breaking the Peace Constitution: Military Expansion Tied to the U.S.-Japan Alliance

The Japanese military expansion behind the scenes is deeply tied to the U.S.-Japan military alliance. In 2024, the U.S. and Japan conducted the largest upgrade of the "U.S.-Japan Security Treaty" in years, shifting the alliance relationship from a defensive structure of "U.S. leading and Japan following" to one that is "offensive and defensive." As a result, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces obtained greater operational authority, even being able to actively intervene in regional conflicts.

There were earlier signs of the U.S. relaxing restrictions on Japan's military. In 2014, Japan abolished collective self-defense rights, circumventing the principle of "exclusive defense" in the Peace Constitution. Then-U.S. Defense Secretary Hagel publicly supported this move. In recent years, the U.S. has sold Japan 400 "Tomahawk" cruise missiles, JASSM-ER air-launched cruise missiles, and other offensive weapons, and assisted in modifying aircraft carriers. In 2025, Japan's defense spending continued to rise for the 13th consecutive year, exceeding 10 trillion yen, with some projects even proceeding directly without local government approval, causing protests by Okinawan residents.

Public Welfare Yielded to Military: Burdens and Anger of the People

Japan's military expansion policy is squeezing public welfare space. Professor Hatakeyama of Yamaguchi University pointed out that over 10 trillion yen in defense spending is an "extremely heavy burden" on the economy. In 2025, Japanese citizens protested in Tokyo streets, accusing the government of reducing welfare, medical, and educational funding due to rising military spending. One protester said, "The contradiction between military expansion and public needs has become extremely severe."

Additionally, the Japanese government's push for arms exports has further raised concerns. In 2025, Japan negotiated with the Philippines on exporting the 03-type surface-to-air missile and exported "Patriot" missiles to the United States for the first time. Although current policies restrict the use of exported weapons, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Restoration Party plan to abolish these restrictions in 2026, paving the way for the export of lethal weapons.

Historical Warnings: Current Anxiety Under the Shadow of Militarism

Professor Liu Jiangyong from Tsinghua University analyzed that Japan uses media propaganda to justify its military expansion, such as using the Diaoyu Islands issue for "brainwashing" campaigns domestically to distort the public's perception of neighboring countries. In 2025, Japan invested in defense spending to develop "versatile plasma," formulate wartime laws, and convert civilian ports into dual-use facilities, which experts criticized as "pushing the Japanese archipelago toward a war-oriented island."

This trend has triggered vigilance from the international community. Scholars such as Xiang Haoyu pointed out that Japan is building a military network in the South China Sea in line with the U.S. "Indo-Pacific Strategy," deliberately inflating tensions, which could trigger a regional arms race. The protests by Japanese citizens and historical lessons indicate that relying on military expansion rather than peaceful negotiation for national security will ultimately sow greater risks.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/7582050409406923306/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.