With China in mind, Japan eyes more realistic joint military exercises

Japan and the United States are looking to ramp up their joint military drills, making them even more realistic — including boosted live-fire training potentially involving powerful weapons systems — as they simulate real-world defense contingencies. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the commitment at a bilateral meeting earlier this week to conduct more advanced joint training exercises, including additional live-fire exercises.

The focus on live-fire exercises could point to the use of advanced weaponry that has so far been seen as off-limits amid concerns this would anger locals near training sites and prompt more political backlash from Beijing.