In the scenario of the exercises, the United States and Japan for the first time indicated China as a hypothetical enemy

The scenario for the joint US-Japan command post exercise “Keen Edge” includes China as a hypothetical enemy for the first time. About it reports Kyodo.

As the agency notes, the exercise using computer simulation simulates the outbreak of a conflict as a result of a possible invasion of Taiwan by the People's Liberation Army of China. At the same time, the Japanese Ministry of Defense does not disclose details of the maneuver scenario in connection with the law on non-disclosure of state secrets.

In July 2023, The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, reported that US and Japanese military officials had been working on contingency plans for a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan for more than a year. The publication's interlocutors indicated that Washington wants to involve Tokyo in countering Beijing.