A week after China conducted extensive exercises in the Taiwan Strait, Japan and the United States began ten days of joint military operations on Wednesday with tens of thousands of people.

Fears of a battle over self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own, or other territorial issues in the area have increased as a result of China’s military buildup and the strengthening defences between Washington and its allies.

The Japanese Joint Staff stated that 45,000 Japanese and US soldiers, 40 ships, 370 aircraft, and some forces from Australia and Canada will be involved in “Keen Sword.”

Every two years, the exercises will be conducted throughout Japan, including at the military installations of both nations, until November 1.

General Yoshihide Yoshida, the highest uniformed officer in Japan’s Self-defence Forces (SDF), stated on Tuesday that “we have a strong sense of urgency that we can’t rule out the possibility of a serious situation resembling Ukraine happening in regions near our country.”

At a press conference, he declared, “We are determined to prevent and deter such a situation,” adding that regional security depended on the US-Japan partnership.

As the head of the US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Steve Koehler told reporters Tuesday, “Keen Sword will ensure we maintain our advantage over those who seek to undermine the rule-based international order.”

The exercises will see tilt-rotor aircraft Ospreys fly to Yonaguni, the Japanese island closest to Taiwan, for the first time, as part of an “evacuation” drill, an SDF spokesman told AFP.

The drill was to practise bringing out residents and tourists “in the event of a natural disaster”, he said.

Shigeru Ishiba, Japan’s incoming prime minister, has also alluded to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in order to warn of Asia’s security threats.

“A lot of people worry that East Asia may become tomorrow’s Ukraine. In Ukraine, why did deterrence fail? Shortly after his election, Ishiba informed parliament this month.

Ishiba supports the formation of a regional military alliance modelled after the Western bloc NATO, but he has warned that this would “not happen overnight.” He faces a challenging snap election on Sunday.

The first known Chinese airspace invasion was performed by a Chinese military plane in August, and weeks later, a Japanese cruiser made its maiden passage over the Taiwan Strait.

A day after Beijing conducted a live-fire drill close to the island, Taiwan’s defence minister said earlier Wednesday that a Chinese aircraft carrier group had flown across the delicate Taiwan Strait.

It came after Taipei and its main ally, Washington, denounced China’s extensive military exercises conducted surrounding Taiwan last week.

Beijing, which has not ruled out using force to subjugate Taiwan, conducted the drills, including a blockade of the island.