Recently Japan has launched its first marine unit since WWII. The unit was set out to protect the remote islands in the east china sea that china has claimed. Currently the unit has 2,100 members and will soon grow to 3,000. Both China and Japan have had disputes over control of these islands, Japan has effective control of the islands but china claims them as their own. Neither country has had to forcefully establish control over the islands, but with Japan’s new Marine, tensions in the sea will rise. The unit was told to “retake the islands if invaded.” Its concerning to the US because military confrontation could potentially involve the US through treaty commitments. It would be beneficial for the US to help de-escalate tensions.
