Shortly ago, the Ministry of Defence announced that a joint actual maneuver between the U.S. marines and the Japan Ground "Self-Defense Force" would be staged in Shigoku in December for the first time. It was reported that four U.S. Ospreys would be involved in the maneuver.

This is the clear manifestation of the military ambition of Japan getting frantic in its moves to become a military giant and launch an overseas expansion with the backing of its master as it is part of its moves to make the "Self-Defense Forces" take part in an actual war without fail.

The current SDF which has turned into perfect armed forces with attack capability is very busy acquiring the capability for fighting a war, steadily expanding the sphere of its military operations and familiarizing itself with overseas expansion.

What draws attention is that Japan is working hard to make the SDF acquire the capability for fighting a war under the pretext of the "military alliance" and "cooperation for defence".

The SDF started the U.S.-Japan joint military exercises this year with an airlift drill simulating the defence of remote islands with a U.S. special unit. In collusion with its master, it continuously conducted military exercises akin to an actual war such as an actual maneuver between the "amphibious task force" and the U.S. marines and a joint exercise between fighters of the Japan Air SDF and a B-52 of the U.S. Air Force.

In May, warships of the Japan Maritime SDF staged a joint drill with France, Australia and the U.S. in the Indian Ocean for the first time and hung around the waters off the Pacific for a long time for maritime joint exercises with littoral nations.

In this context, the Japanese political circles are boosting the moves for laying a springboard favorable for military advance into other countries while approving the conclusion of agreements on mutual provision of goods and manpower between the SDF and the French and Canadian armies and examining the conclusion of the "agreement on the status of visiting unit" between the SDF and the British army.

That's why the acts of the Japanese government pressing ahead with the dispatch of the SDF to the Middle East under the pretence of the aggravated Middle East situation can not be construed only from the viewpoint of "information collection" and "assurance of marine security".

The horrible records of the SDF steadily enlarging the radius of its military operation throw doubts as to where the Japanese armed forces terminate their bid to acquire the capability for fighting a war.

The largest defense costs in the history of Japan, armed forces with attack capability beyond the principle of "exclusive defense", military advance into other countries and other moves show that every military action of Japan is oriented to an actual war and reinvasion.

This year Japan saw the end of the era of "Heisei" and greeted the era of "Reiwa".

Even though much water flew under the bridge and the unique name of years was changed, Japan remains unchanged in its militaristic ambition for becoming a war-capable state, free from all historical, legal and moral restraints at home and abroad.

The international community follows with great concern which way Japan will take in the era of "Reiwa".