Russia’s military activities have been closely monitored by other countries, especially as the country’s tensions with several other nations, especially Ukraine, have escalated in recent years. With concerns of a possible world war getting triggered, a Japanese official has warned that Russia’s military presence near Hawaii may lead to another Pearl Harbor incident.
At a virtual event hosted by think tank the Hudson Institute, Japan’s defense minister Yasuhide Nakayama compared the recent Russian military activities near Hawaii to the attack on Pearl Harbor. In the latter part of June, Russian vessels were reportedly spotted carrying out war game drills 35 miles from the US state. 20 Russian warplanes and vessels were practicing sinking enemy ships within range of the US.
The drills that were being carried out prompted the US to deploy military forces in a position to monitor Russian activity in the region.
Nakayama claimed that Russia and China may be coordinating military exercises.
“Seventy years ago, we attacked Pearl Harbor, but now the US and Japan (are) very good allies, one of the best allies all over the world,” said Mr. Nakayama. “I don’t want to remind (us of the attack) 70 years ago, but we have to be careful of the exercising of the Russians. They are taking place (off) the western side of that, Honolulu, I mean, in Hawaii.”
When it came to explaining that Russia and China may be coordinating with each other in terms of military exercises, Mr. Nakayama highlighted the need to show deterrence to both China and Russia.
Countries are also turning their attention to the military activities being carried out by Chinese forces as the situation over the South China Sea and Taiwan could potentially start a world war. Previously, political expert Gordon Chang explained that China could trigger a world war, especially when it comes to its conflict with Australia and its allies. Chang explained that China is getting cornered on the international stage, and it would cause the communist nation to lash out in a show of strength.
“Right now Beijing has this really nasty spat with Canberra and it started when Australia demanded an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19,” said Chang.
“I think China has a lot to hide and because of that China went on the offense with Australia and relations have spiraled downward since then,” added the expert. “This is Beijing feeling its back against the corner, it can’t explain how the disease started. It can’t defend crimes against humanity and genocide in what it calls Xinjiang.”