- Japan has suspended its annual large-scale military event, citing urgent security demands amid growing threats from China, Russia, and North Korea.
- The defence ministry stated it is now difficult to continue the event as it focuses on maintaining a “watertight defence posture in the face of the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II”.
- The annual review, a ceremonial display of defence capabilities and readiness, was traditionally held to boost morale and public understanding of the Self-Defence Forces (SDF).
- Defence minister Gen Nakatani explained that the extensive preparations for the review placed too heavy a burden on troops, potentially disrupting essential training and surveillance duties.
- The decision follows intensifying military activities in the region, including a Chinese naval drill near Japan in June involving simultaneous aircraft carrier operations, which Tokyo deemed unprecedented.
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