Japan Conducts Annual Military Drills

Japanese Self Defence Forces held annual military exercises at the base of Mount Fuji, drawing large crowds of people. The demonstration was to build trust among the Japanese people and also for educational purposes.

Managed mayhem reigned at the foot of Mount Fuji on Tuesday, as Japan's Self Defense Forces showed off their firepower to the general public.

From tank shells to helicopters, the crowd of 9,000 people were treated to a cacophony of live explosions and bursts of gunfire.

A total of 2,400 defense force personnel took part in the four-day annual, at the Camp Fuji training area in Gotemba.

The 120 tank and ground artillery vehicles as well as 25 fighter jets and helicopters fired a total of 44 tons of ammunition onto the skirts of Mountain Fuji veiled in cloud.

[Yoshino Kabuta, Japan Ground Self Defense Forces]:
"Building more trust from the people of Japan for the Self Defense Force is one major purpose of this drill, along with the educational demonstration."

The event gained more political context as Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan met his military chiefs last Thursday, ahead of a review that could lead to the biggest changes in defense policy in years.

Security in the region remains tense since North Korea conducted its second nuclear test in May 2009, followed by several missile launches over Japan and into the Pacific.

Despite its impressive technology and military hardware, the Japanese Self Defense Forces have not fired a single shot outside Japan since their inception 50 years ago.

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