Washington and its allies began major live-fire exercises in the South China Sea, with Japan joining as a full participant for the first time.

The US and the Philippines have held joint drills since 2001; other allies, including Australia, France, and New Zealand, have since joined, and this year’s “largest ever” exercise signals a response to growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.

Japan in particular is rearming, despite its explicitly pacifist constitution: Tokyo plans to increase defense of nearby sea lanes, and has signed a $14 billion contract to build destroyers for Australia as part of deepening defense ties. Germany has similarly begun a pivot to military manufacturing, hoping to stem a longstanding industrial decline.