Japan Hosts Multilateral Naval Parade Amid Rising Tensions With China, North Korea, Russia

South Korea participates for first time since 2015 alongside 11 other nations

Naval vessels from the U.S., Japan, India, and the Philippines conduct formation exercises and communication drills in the South China Sea in May 2019. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force/U.S. Navy

Japan’s prime minister vowed on Nov. 6 to bolster Japan’s defenses alongside the United States and its allies as the country hosted another international fleet review to mark the birth of its naval forces.

The review was held in Sagami Bay near Tokyo with the participation of 18 vessels from 12 nations, including the United States, South Korea, the UK, Australia, Singapore, India, and Thailand, as the region faces increasing tensions from North Korea’s missile and nuclear threats, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and aggression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) toward Taiwan.