Japans military today launched its first Marines unit, tasked with defending remote islands in the face of Chinas growing maritime presence in the region.
The Self-Defence Forces amphibious fighting unit staged an exercise with US Marines at Sasebo in western Japan following the inauguration ceremony.
The 2,100-member brigade, based in Sasebo, will be responsible for defending remote islands and retaking them if they are invaded.
"Defending remote islands is a pressing task at a time when security surrounding our country is getting more severe," vice defence minister Tomohiro Yamamoto told the ceremony.
Japan has a longstanding dispute with China over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. These are administered by Japan, which calls them the "Senkakus", but also claimed by China, which knows them as the "Diaoyus."