The movement of the 11 naval vessels from China and Russia was "clearly intended to demonstrate their threat to Japan," said the Japanese Ministry of Defense.
Hokkaido, with the rest of Japan, shares 14,000 years of deep historical roots from Jomon culture to Edo-era defenses against the foreign challengers of today.
It's great to see the Self-Defense Force joining a major multilateral exercise but this training is needed where the trouble is coming, in and around Japan.