Japan’s combat role in Philippines war games signals shift in regional strategy

Japan is sending over 1,000 combat troops to participate in April's Balikatan exercises with the Philippines and U.S., marking a significant shift towards a more networked, multi-layered security structure in the South China Sea. This expansion reflects growing regional concerns about China's grey zone tactics and represents the evolution of the exercise from small-scale bilateral training to large-scale conflict simulations involving multiple countries.