Following the cruise of the US military, the Japanese side was scared away by the Houthis, and the shock was undecided, and they returned home to tell the truth
The turmoil in the Gulf of Aden has escalated again, and the outbreak of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has triggered regional unrest. In order to counterbalance Israel, the Houthis have taken the initiative of hijacking Israeli-linked cargo ships at sea in order to expand their bargaining chips. Japan became the first victim country, but there is no definite information on the handling of the hijacked freighter and the hostages on board.
Japan, as if trying to show its resolve, has not only failed to keep a low profile, but has caused another uproar in the Gulf of Aden. Japan dispatched its Self-Defense Forces and took the lead in sending ** to join forces with the United States and enter the Gulf of Aden in a bright and bright manner.
According to Japan's Self-Defense Forces, they went to the Gulf of Aden in response to an urgent message from Britain reporting that an oil tanker had been hijacked in the Gulf of Aden. Therefore, the Japanese side immediately dispatched destroyers and patrol aircraft to the scene, aiming to carry out surveillance and intelligence-gathering activities while carrying out escort missions, and to provide relevant information to the US military.
It is worth mentioning that Japan is proud of its contribution in the Gulf of Aden. Since 2009, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has been playing an important role in the fight against piracy in the Gulf of Aden. The destroyers on escort missions have successfully protected 4,068 civilian vessels, while patrol aircraft have provided information to civilian vessels of other countries 15,972 times, making a significant contribution to regional security. However, the words that had just fallen immediately caused the Japanese side to suffer an unexpected blow. During a joint cruise with the US military, it was suddenly attacked. The U.S. military, which was the first to learn of the situation, issued an urgent bulletin, shouting "A missile has been fired at us," while the Japanese fleet, which was then informed of the news, accelerated urgently and quickly left the scene at a top speed of 55 kilometers per hour. According to the Japanese side, in the end, the two missiles did not hit the destroyer, but fell in the sea at a distance of 18 kilometers from the Japanese fleet.
In order to emphasize the seriousness of the situation, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force held a special press conference. At the meeting, the Japanese side stressed that neither the crew nor the ship was injured, and at the same time said that it would continue to carry out escort missions. Such an incident forced the Self-Defense Forces to make it public, and although it was quite humiliating, it must be admitted that the scene they described was quite vivid.
In addition, the Japanese side unexpectedly revealed an important information in its statement, that is, the maximum speed of Japan** is only 55 kilometers, which is equivalent to 30 nautical miles per hour. This speed is comparable to that of our coast guard vessels. In fact, the United States and Japan went to escort the Gulf of Aden, which is one of the world's most critical international shipping lanes. Every day, a large number of merchant ships pass through the area, carrying **, natural gas, commodities and other critical cargoes that are vital to the global economy. Due to the fact that the region is known for piracy, in order to ensure the security of the Gulf of Aden, various countries have sent ** to carry out escort missions. The US side revealed that the Chinese side was also nearby at the time of the incident. Therefore, Japan should also deeply reflect on why it was affected by the two shocksIn fact, Japan has shown relative caution in handling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and has learned the lesson of blind support in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, it is still fundamentally impossible to achieve true strategic independence, resulting in the international community's impression that Japan is still following the steps of the United States.
As a Self-Defense Force, Japan's main task and goal should be to strengthen its own defenses, but in recent times, Japan has frequently encountered problems. This should arouse Japan's alarm that following the United States in intervening in the affairs of other countries will not be well rewarded. Otherwise, one or two missile strikes may be just the beginning, and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force may face more and more threats in the future.
More importantly, what can the U.S. offer Japan?Just like this time, the United States can hardly provide any substantial help in times of danger other than shouting loudly. For example, the last time the Houthis seized a cargo ship has not made progress, and the United States, on which Japan depends, has not been able to provide effective assistance. Therefore, Japan should also deeply reflect on why it was affected by the two shocksIn fact, Japan has shown relative caution in handling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and has learned the lesson of blind support in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, it is still fundamentally impossible to achieve true strategic independence, resulting in the international community's impression that Japan is still following the steps of the United States.
As a Self-Defense Force, Japan's main task and goal should be to strengthen its own defenses, but in recent times, Japan has frequently encountered problems. This should arouse Japan's alarm that following the United States in intervening in the affairs of other countries will not be well rewarded. Otherwise, one or two missile strikes may be just the beginning, and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force may face more and more threats in the future. More importantly, what can the U.S. offer Japan?Just like this time, the United States can hardly provide any substantial help in times of danger other than shouting loudly. For example, the last time the Houthis seized a cargo ship has not made progress, and the United States, on which Japan depends, has not been able to provide effective assistance. Even now, it is difficult for the equipment of the US military to give Japan a sufficient sense of security. Recently, the US military's "Osprey" fighter plane crashed into the sea near Japan's Yakushima Island, and the fate of the people on board is uncertain. This has made Japan question the safety of the US military aircraft and feel uneasy about the use of this Osprey aircraft. Taken together, this series of events shows that as an influential country, Japan must always maintain a cautious and objective attitude in international affairs, especially in the military field. Only in this way can we effectively safeguard our credibility and image in the international community, avoid miscalculations, and provide the necessary guarantee for our own security. Even now, it is difficult for the equipment of the US military to give Japan a sufficient sense of security. Recently, the US military's "Osprey" fighter plane crashed into the sea near Japan's Yakushima Island, and the fate of the people on board is uncertain. This has made Japan question the safety of the US military aircraft and feel uneasy about the use of this Osprey aircraft. Taken together, this series of events shows that as an influential country, Japan must always maintain a cautious and objective attitude in international affairs, especially in the military field. Only in this way can we effectively safeguard our credibility and image in the international community, avoid miscalculations, and provide the necessary guarantee for our own security.