Japan’s Troops Join US-Philippines Drills Amid Rising China Tensions

For the first time since World War II, Japanese combat troops are operating on Philippine soil. Roughly 420 Japanese personnel are participating in the Salaknib military exercises, a US-Philippines annual drill on Luzon island involving over 7,000 soldiers. The move underscores Tokyo’s growing role in regional defense frameworks aimed at countering China's assertiveness. Japan is set to expand its presence further in the upcoming Balikatan exercises, another large-scale US-Philippines operation,