Japan has suspended its annual large-scale and highly choreographed military event, saying forces are too busy meeting urgent security demands amid growing threats from China, Russia and North Korea.
Japan’s defence ministry said the Self-Defence Forces' annual review ceremony has been discontinued until the security environment surrounding Japan changes significantly.
In a statement, the ministry said it had become “difficult to continue” the event as it works to “maintain our nation’s watertight defence posture in the face of the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II.”
Traditionally, the SDF’s ground, maritime, and air services had rotated hosting duties each autumn. This year, the Maritime Self-Defense Force was due to hold a naval review in Sagami Bay, Kanagawa Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo.
The SDF review is a ceremonial military exercise Japan holds roughly once a year to display its defence capabilities, discipline, and readiness to both the public and political leadership.
While it has military elements, it’s not a full-scale combat exercise – it’s closer to a parade and skills demonstration designed to boost morale, build public trust, and send a signal of capability to the international community.
The event had already been scaled back in recent years, with the SDF holding it without spectators since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, reducing the number of participating troops and equipment displays to limit the strain on personnel.
Japanese defence minister Gen Nakatani acknowledged earlier this month that the ceremony had long served to boost morale and foster public understanding of the SDF’s role, but said the burden on troops had become too heavy.
Preparations for the review involve around 5,000 personnel for a month and require the use of defence equipment for up to two months, potentially disrupting training and surveillance duties, he said.
He said there is no scope for "slightest gap" in the SDF's response in a potential military event from Russia, China and North Korea amid intensifying military activities.
It comes after a Chinese naval drill in June near Japan triggered concerns in Tokyo. The country also disclosed Chinese military movement in a rare decision and lodged a protest with Beijing.
It said China’s two aircraft carriers – the Shandong and the Liaoning –conducted simultaneous drills in the Pacific for the first time, in what Tokyo described as an unprecedented move. Chinese fighter jets carried out hundreds of take-offs and landings from the carriers, with some flying close to Japanese surveillance aircraft.
Last year, prime minister Shigeru Ishiba renewed a pledge to build up his country’s military and deepen its alliance with the US under Donald Trump’s administration, citing escalating tensions with China, Russia and North Korea.
Mr Ishiba said the security environment surrounding Japan and the international community has significantly worsened over the years.
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