A staff member introduces a displayed Eurofighter Typhoon to a visitor at the ILA Berlin Air Show in Schoenefeld, Germany, on June 22, 2022. With the participation of about 550 exhibitors from about 30 countries and regions, the ILA Berlin Air Show kicked off here on Wednesday.(Photo: Xinhua)

Three German fighter jets are expected to reach Japan for three days of training exercises and exchange with the Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force, marking the first-ever drill between the two countries held in Japanese airspace. 

Analysts said the exercise serves to boost Germany’s joint air combat capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region and help integrate German fighters into the combat command systems of its allies, but Germany's influence in the Asia-Pacific remains limited.

Three German Eurofighter jets together with three Japanese F-2 fighter jets will take part in the formation and navigation training, according to Japanese media outlet NHK. 

Germany’s multirole fighters will be in Japan until Friday to “improve tactical skills, promote mutual understanding, and further deepen cooperation” with the Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force, the Japan Times reported citing Defense Ministry.  

Germany's expansion of military activities in the region became a trending topic last year after the German navy frigate Bayern docked at a port in Tokyo on November 5, 2021.

The German Air Force earlier took part in a multilateral military exercise held in Australia. In mid-August, Germany sent 13 military aircraft to joint exercises in Australia, the air force's largest peacetime deployment, underlining Berlin's increased focus on the Indo-Pacific, according to  Reuters.

Zhou Yongsheng, deputy director of the Japanese Studies Center at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the military cooperation between Germany and Japan reveals Japan’s willingness to introduce NATO and NATO members to the eastern Asian region to contain China. On the other side, Germany is taking the chance to expand its military presence  outside of  Europe and intends to play a role in handling affairs of the region, so as to expand its regional and international influence. 

Zhou believes behind the military cooperation between Germany and Japan is their intention to contain China’s action on Taiwan .  

Zhang Xuefeng, a military expert said both are sharply increasing their military spending and both are trying to exert more influence on the world stage. In particular, it is clear that Germany intends to increase its involvement in the Asia-Pacific region by sending a contingent of its air force to Australia to participate in the multinational exercise Pitch Black, and then to Japan and South Korea, the expert said.

The possibility that Germany will normalize this kind of joint training in the future cannot be ruled out. However, Germany's influence in the Asia-Pacific remains limited, Zhang told the Global Times in earlier interview.