일본이 도서방어작전 및 탈환을 위한 ‘수륙기동단’ 창설을 공식화하여 추진 중에 있다. 아베정권은 일본의 안보불안요소는 도서지방에서 기인하고 있다고 평가하고 이에 대처하기 위한 군사력 건설에 국방정책의 우선순위를 두고 있다. 과거 일본군은 명치유신부터 군사 선진국들의 제도를 모방하여 육전대를 창설하여 운용하였다. 일본의 근대화 및 아시아․태평양 전쟁과 함께 운명을 같이 했던 육전대는 일본 해군 및 육군에서 독자적으로 운용하던 상륙작전 부대였다. 육전대는 일본이 세력을 확장시켜 나가는 과정에서 일본의 힘을 투사시키는 수단으로 활용되었다. 최근 수륙기동단 창설 움직임은 일본이 자국의 영토를 방위하기 위한 수단의 확보라는 측면에서 정상적인 행보로 볼 수 있으나 과거 일본의 군국주의에 의해 희생되었던 주변국들은 비판과 함께 우려를 하고 있다.
상륙전 부대는 한 국가가 자국의 영역을 벗어나 다른 지역으로 군사력을 투사할 수 있는 능력을 가지고 있기 때문에 다분히 공격적이고 주변국에게 위협으로 인식된다. 일본의 수륙기동단 창설은 도서영유권 분쟁과 미․중의 지역내 패권경쟁의 심화 등으로 야기된 동북아 질서의 불안정성을 더욱 가속화시킬 수 있는 촉진제가 될 수 있다. 일본의 수륙기동단 창설은 과거 역사 속에서 이와 유사한 기능을 가진 부대를 운용했던 경험이 있기에 더욱 관심이 요구된다.
상륙전 부대를 운용했던 일본의 경험과 이를 토대로 한 수륙기동단 창설은 다음과 같은 함의를 준다. 첫째, 한국중국․러시아 등 일본과 도서영유권 및 해양관할권 분쟁 중인 국가들을 자극하여 동북아 지역의 불안정성을 증가시킬 것이다. 둘째, 역내 국가들 간의 상륙 및 대상륙작전 전력 건설로 군비경쟁을 가속화시킬 것이다. 셋째, 일본은 과거 세계적 수준의 상륙작전 부대 운용 경험을 다양하게 활용할 수 있어 상륙작전 능력을 단기간에 발전시킬 수 있을 것이다. 넷째, 수륙기동단 창설은 일본의 집단적 자위권 행사를 위한 시공간적 범위를 비약적으로 확대시키는 역할을 할 것이다. 다섯째, 과거 경험을 거울삼아 일본 자위대의 합동작전 수행 능력을 향상시킬 것이다. 여섯째, 한미일 3국 간 군사협력 기회가 증가될 것이다.
일본의 수륙기동단은 과거 상륙전부대 운용 경험에 비추어 볼 때 다기능을 수행할 것이다. 우리는 이에 대한 긍정적인 요인과 부정적인 요인을 면밀히 분석하여 대비해야 할 것이다.
Japan has announced to formalize the creation of the “Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade” to defend and retake its island which is considered as a gray zone. Abe regime has put a priority on its military building to have a strong landing forces which based on the assessment that the main factor of its insecurity comes from the matter of disputable Islands. During the Asia-Pacific War, Japan operated the Rikusentai which had imitated the western countries’s amphibious forces. The Rikusentai was respectively managed by the Army and Navy. The roles of the Rikusentai was a forceful projection power to spread Japanese military power. In one side, we can see that the Japan’s announcement of Amphibious Maneuver Group activation is a normal policy as a state, however, the neighboring countries, including Korea criticize and fear that the possibility of Japan’s remilitarization. These feelings of concern originate from their past dreadful experiences. In the past times, Japan had a similar landing forces which had operated as an invasive means to conquer the North-East asian areas. The Japan’s experience of using amphibious operation forces and the trial to build amphibious rapid deployment brigade has a implication as below. First, it can aggravate the unstable status in the region of the North East area especially, between Japan and Sino-Russian relations those are disputing the island problems. Second, it can accelerate the arms race to build up the amphibious and counter amphibious forces between Japan and its neighborhood. Third, Japan can develop its amphibious skills in short time because it has a affluent experiences. Fourth, the creation of amphibious maneuver force can be used as a main means of Japan’s collective self defense power. Fifth, Japan can develop its joint operation capability among the self defense forces. Finally, it will increase the opportunity of military cooperation among ROK-US-Japan. We should estimate the both positive and negative sides of the Japan’s trial to increase its military power. Now we need to cope with this matter strategically.
Japan has announced to formalize the creation of the “Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade” to defend and retake its island which is considered as a gray zone. Abe regime has put a priority on its military building to have a strong landing forces which based on the assessment that the main factor of its insecurity comes from the matter of disputable Islands. During the Asia-Pacific War, Japan operated the Rikusentai which had imitated the western countries’s amphibious forces. The Rikusentai was respectively managed by the Army and Navy. The roles of the Rikusentai was a forceful projection power to spread Japanese military power. In one side, we can see that the Japan’s announcement of Amphibious Maneuver Group activation is a normal policy as a state, however, the neighboring countries, including Korea criticize and fear that the possibility of Japan’s remilitarization. These feelings of concern originate from their past dreadful experiences. In the past times, Japan had a similar landing forces which had operated as an invasive means to conquer the North-East asian areas. The Japan’s experience of using amphibious operation forces and the trial to build amphibious rapid deployment brigade has a implication as below. First, it can aggravate the unstable status in the region of the North East area especially, between Japan and Sino-Russian relations those are disputing the island problems. Second, it can accelerate the arms race to build up the amphibious and counter amphibious forces between Japan and its neighborhood. Third, Japan can develop its amphibious skills in short time because it has a affluent experiences. Fourth, the creation of amphibious maneuver force can be used as a main means of Japan’s collective self defense power. Fifth, Japan can develop its joint operation capability among the self defense forces. Finally, it will increase the opportunity of military cooperation among ROK-US-Japan. We should estimate the both positive and negative sides of the Japan’s trial to increase its military power. Now we need to cope with this matter strategically.