Expert criticizes Japan’s deployment of V-22 Ospreys at new base as ‘clear extension of Japan’s military expansion’

The Japanese Self-Defense Force on Wednesday began deploying its fleet of V-22 Ospreys at a newly opened permanent base in southwestern Japan, which is part of Tokyo's accelerating military buildup under the excuse of so-called China's military amibitions, according to media reports. A Chinese military affairs expert criticized Japan for building up its military power, using the so-called "China threat" as a pretext to target China, which effectively breached the constraints imposed by its pacifist constitution as well as the post-war international order.

The Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) on Wednesday opened a new camp in southwestern Japan to host its fleet of Osprey transport aircraft, which according to Kyodo News, is part of efforts to strengthen defenses of remote islands amid so-called fears over "China's increasing military ambitions." 

The first V-22 Osprey arrived at the new Camp Saga, in the prefecture of the same name on the main island of Kyushu, after transferring from Camp Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture near Tokyo. The GSDF's tilt-rotor aircraft had been temporarily based there since July 2020, Kyodo News said. 

This move marks yet another step by Japan to strengthen its military deployment in the southwest direction targeting China, and is part of a broader effort to enhance its offensive combat capabilities, Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

"In recent years, Japan has continuously bolstered its offensive military power by producing and deploying advanced weaponry with strong strike capabilities, including submarines, aircraft carriers, fighter jets, and cruise missiles. This latest deployment of V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft under the pretext of the so-called China threat rhetoric is a clear extension of Japan's military expansion," Zhang said. 

The use of the V-22 remains controversial in Japan, especially in the south, due to a series of accidents involving the aircraft, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Thursday. 

In November 2023, a US Air Force Osprey crashed off Japan's southern coast, killing eight people, the media report said. In October 2024, a Japanese army V-22 Osprey tilted and hit the ground while attempting to take off during a joint exercise with the US military. An investigation found human error to be the cause, according to the AP. 

Despite the V-22 Osprey has been involved in multiple accidents, causing casualties and property damage, which has sparked strong protests from the Japanese public, Japan continues to deploy such accident-prone equipment in order to demonstrate alignment to the US and align with the US' "Indo-Pacific Strategy," ignoring the safety and concerns of its own citizens, Zhang noted. 

On Wednesday morning, protesters rallied in front of the new Camp Saga's main gate, carrying banners and signs to call for the "complete removal of Ospreys," according to Xinhua News Agency. 

As a former aggressor, Japan bears a historical responsibility to deeply reflect upon and restrain itself from repeating past mistakes. However, current trends among right-wing forces in Japan, such as denying historical aggression and glorifying wartime atrocities, are growing, Zhang noted. 

"These tendencies, combined with the trend of military expansion and the resurgence of militarist ideologies, point to a troubling drift back toward militarism, which warrants serious attention and vigilance," he said.