Japan's presence in overseas drill raises concern Experts slam Tokyo for embarking on path of military buildup and expansion

Japan has deployed combat-capable units to take part in military exercises in the Philippines, marking the first time since World War II that its combat troops have set foot on Philippine soil.

Experts criticized Japan for effectively breaking away from the constraints of its "exclusively defense-oriented" principle and pacifist constitution, and for accelerating its remilitarization, once again embarking on a path of military buildup and expansion.

According to reports, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force recently dispatched troops to participate in the Salaknib and Balikatan exercises, which are jointly held by the United States and the Philippines, with a relatively large deployment.

In contrast to its observer role last year, Japan has this time deployed 420 personnel from the GSDF. This marks a historic shift: for the first time in 81 years since the end of World War II, Japanese combat troops have set foot on Philippine soil.

Balikatan, meaning "shoulder to shoulder" in the Filipino language, is the largest annual joint military exercise conducted by the US and the Philippines, according to a report in The Diplomat magazine.

"The drills typically involve a wide range of activities, including maritime security, amphibious operations, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response. This year's iteration is expected to be among the largest ever conducted," it said.

Japanese units in Balikatan 2026 will participate in training scenarios involving defensive operations while carrying weapons, The Diplomat said, "representing a significant departure from previous roles".

Liu Shuliang, an associate researcher at the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, said that Japan has, for the first time, deployed combat troops in the Philippines for joint military exercises, marking a post-World War II milestone.

"The move signals a shift in security policy and a gradual easing of constraints under its 'exclusive defense' principle, alongside accelerating 'remilitarization'," he said.

Japan's involvement in joint exercises and broader security cooperation reflects its intent to expand military influence in the Asia-Pacific region. "These movements also reveal its gradual success in easing domestic legal restrictions and public opinion constraints on overseas military engagement," he said.

Clear intent

The combat-oriented exercises in the joint drill reflect clear strategic intent: they are designed both to adapt to the evolving demands of "informationized" and intelligent warfare, and to strengthen efforts to contain China in the South China Sea and the broader Western Pacific, Liu said.

He said that Japan's growing involvement in such exercises has the potential to significantly erode the region's military balance.

Japan's recent deployment of long-range missiles in Kumamoto and Shizuoka prefectures, coupled with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's push to revise the pacifist constitution, underscores an ongoing shift in the country's security and defense policy.

"Its accelerated 'remilitarization' and expansion of capabilities pose inherent risks to stability; the increasing scale and frequency of joint drills heighten the chances of accidental encounters and miscalculation; and these developments may in turn drive an arms race, pushing regional actors into a reinforcing cycle of the 'security dilemma'," Liu said.

Zhang Yun, a professor at the School of International Relations of Nanjing University, said Japan is shifting toward both offensive and defensive capabilities.

Japan's ongoing efforts to enhance its operational and counterstrike capabilities, alongside its growing emphasis on power projection in the Asia-Pacific region, are poised to exert a significant impact on regional stability and the strategic balance, he said.

Japan actively participates in the US-led alliance framework, deepens bilateral cooperation, including military collaboration, with US allies, and promotes the development of so-called mini-multilateral arrangements, Zhang said.

"In effect, Japan's move is seen as aligning with the US to build a more militarized 'exclusive club', while expanding its military presence and influence in the Asia-Pacific. These developments risk exacerbating regional tensions and undermining peace and stability," Liu said.

In recent years, Japan has pushed the boundaries of existing constraints, reflecting a substantive shift in its security philosophy — from passive defense to more proactive engagement, and from a "peace-oriented nation" to one increasingly capable of military operations, he added.

Experts argue that, in the face of Japan's evolving military posture, countries across the region should remain alert to Japan's accelerating trajectory toward "remilitarization".

The peace and stability Asia has enjoyed over the past decades have been rooted in cooperative security, and the future development of the Asia-Pacific region should likewise be grounded in dialogue and shared development, Zhang said.

Regional countries should reinforce multilateral security dialogue, preserve the ASEAN-centered security architecture in the Asia-Pacific, and guard against attempts to build exclusive blocs or foster bloc confrontation in alignment with the US, Liu said.

"It is essential to advance regional economic integration and strengthen mutually beneficial partnerships through multilateral mechanisms …harnessing the benefits of development to counterbalance the risks associated with growing security confrontations," he said.