US and Japan Have New Military Bases Prevents Beijing from Taking Over the South China Sea

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US and Japan Have New Military Bases Prevents Beijing from Taking Over the South China Sea

Three square miles of volcanic rock on the edge of the east china sea may one day be used as an unsinkable aircraft carrier for the united states navy, in the event of war in asia. Japan's government announced that it's buying Majashima island an uninhabited outcrop 21 milesmiles (34 km) from the southernmost japanese main island of Kyushu. The island most of which is owned by a privately held tokyo development company is uninhabited and hosts two intersecting unpaved runways that were abandoned under a previous development project.

The japanese government said the runways will be paved and used for u.s navy and marine corps planes to simulate aircraft carrier landings. Though it did not give a time frame in which that could be accomplished as the deal still needs to be finalized. But once suitable facilities are constructed the island could also become a permanent base for japan's self-defense forces, as tokyo looks to strengthen its position along the east china sea. Where it faces competing claims from china over the japanese administered senkaku islands, known as the diau islands in chinese.

"The purchase of Majashima Island is extremely important and serves for strengthening deterrence by the japan u.s alliance, as well as japan's defense capability," the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary said in announcing the deal.

U.S Military officials in japan said they could not comment on the purchase. Buying majishima has been the subject of talks for years. Tacit on airport the company that owns most of the island, finally reached an agreement with the government in late november. The island was identified as a suitable site for use by the u.s, as a permanent base for field carrier landing practice under the 2011, agreement outlining the realignment of u.s forces in japan.

The 146 million dollar deal. Also comes as the u.s military is hearing calls to increase the number of its strategic bases in east asia in the face of a growing chinese missile arsenal. The majority of u.s combat air forces in japan are concentrated in just six bases. Recent studies including one from the united states study center at the university of sydney published in august say with their current resources the us forces would be vulnerable to chinese missile strikes early in any conflict.

One way to mitigate that is to spread u.s troops and assets out among more bases. The alliance would be more resilient if bases and hardware were more dispersed. The theory goes the more bases you have, the more missiles an adversary would need to fire to overwhelm its target and gain an advantage in a combat scenario. Over time the diversification of japanese and american bases individual or joint will be a trend, said Corey Wallace an asia security analyst at frey university in berlin.

The alliance would be more resilient if bases and hardware were more dispersed. The theory goes the more bases you have, the more missiles an adversary would need to fire to overwhelm its target and gain an advantage in a combat scenario. Permanent land bases are considered more valuable than aircraft carriers because they can withstand a great number of munitions. In theory a carrier can be taken out with a single missile or torpedo.

Battle damage to land bases can also be repaired much more quickly than a complex war machine like an aircraft carrier. When you target and sink an aircraft carrier it is irreversible, said Kolinko a research fellow at the Rajaratnam School of International studies in Singapura. As for an island, at the very least it doesn't sink. you can take the time and effort to bring it back to operation again, ko said.

The new base is also a good sign for us japan defense cooperation which has seen strains in recent years on two fronts, localities have put pressure on the japanese government to move us military activity away from population centers and u.s president has pushed allies like japan to take some financial load off u.s taxpayers. On the former point wallace says majushima could eventually see operations from u.s marine corps osprey tilt rotor aircraft. Taking some of the load off current airfields on the main islands and okinawa.

Similarly the government could be expected to push back against any challenges to the Majoshima plan from the nearest island of takashima 8.5 miles (14 km) to its east and from where it is administered. In the larger international picture japan is making the right move to keep its most important ally the united states happy, said Ko the singapore analyst.

As a practice field Majoshima will also be more convenient for u.s carrier pilots. Many of which now fly out of marine corps air station Iwakuni on the japanese main island of Honshu. The flyers now practice carrier landings known as touch and go landings on iwo jima, also known as IWO2 almost 850 miles, 1,360 kilometers away. Flying to majoshima would cut the journey by 600 miles (960 kilometers). down the line Wallace says Majushima could provide for some new cooperation between the u.s and japanese military specifically involving f-35 stealth fighters.



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