NATO IMPERIALISM IN THE PACIFIC

German warships make rare visit to Tokyo to show support for Indo-Pacific allies


German Navy frigate Baden-Württemberg arrives at Tokyo International Cruise Terminal in Japan on Tuesday. Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo

Aug. 20 (UPI) -- A pair of German Navy vessels made a rare stop in Tokyo Bay after participating in the Rim of the Pacific military exercise during a world tour.

The vessels are part of Germany's Indo-Pacific deployment to help show support for its allies in Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and India.
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The world tour occurs as China's activities in the South China Sea are raising regional tensions, which prompted Germany to participate in the RIMPAC military exercises for the first time in 2021.

The RIMPAC is the world's largest maritime war exercise and this year's exercise involved nearly 30 nations and 40 warships, including the German Navy's 492-foot frigate Baden-Wurttemberg and the 570-foot combat support vessel Frankfurt am Main.

The RIMPAC exercise, based in Hawaii, got underway on June 27 and concluded on Aug. 1.

The Indo-Pacific deployment for the German naval vessels demonstrates the region's strategic importance for Germany and the European Union, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told media in May.

It also forces Germany to balance its relations with trading partner China while showing support for Germany's allies in the Indo-Pacific region.