RIOTERS THROWING MISSILES AND LIGHTING CAR-TYRES; RIOT-CONTROL TROOPS IN ACTION WITH HOSES, TANKS AND BATONS; MEN DROPPING FROM HELICOPTERS; WATER-CANNON BEING USED.




Initials GG/VS/JH/PS



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Background: A FULL-SCALE RIOT WAS STAGED AT THE FOOT OF MT. FUJI, WEST OF TOKYO, ON FRIDAY AS 500 MEN FROM JAPAN'S GROUND SELF-DEFENCE FORCE CARRIED OUT A TOUGH PRACTICAL EXERCISE IN THE UNGENTLE ART OF COPING WITH PUBLIC UPRISING.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT AN EXERCISE OF THIS TYPE WAS WITNESSED BY THE PRESS. IN THE DRILL, ABOUT 300 GSDF MEN PLAYED THE ROLE OF RIOTERS TO CONFRONT AN ANTI-RIOT SQUAD WITH SHOTGUNS, WOODEN STAVES, MOLOTOV COCTAILS AND ROCKS.

THE RIOT CONTROL UNIT OF 200 MEN CHARGED THE RIOTERS' IMPROVISED BARRICADE OF BURNING CAR-TYRES, SUPPORTED BY A TANK, TWO ARMOURED TRUCKS, A BULLDOZER AND A WATER-CANNON TRUCK.

ON A HIGH HILL REPRESENTING A TALL BUILDING, ANOTHER ANTI-RIOT COMBAT UNIT DROPPED INTO POSITION DOWN ROPES FROM HELICOPTERS TO COPE WITH "RIOTERS" WHO HAD TAKEN OVER THE PREMISES.

ALL RESISTANCE CEASED IN ABOUT 35 MINUTES, FIVE MINUTES FASTER THAN HAD BEEN ANTICIPATED. GSDF UNITS SUCH AS THIS HAVE BEEN UNDERGOING INTENSIVE TRAINING THROUGHOUT JAPAN SINCE THE SHINJUKU STATION RIOT LAST YEAR.

MANY OF THE UNITS HAVE CLOCKED UP 600 HOURS OF RIOT-CONTROL EXERCISES SUCH AS THE ONE AT MT. FUJI ON WEDNESDAY........NEARLY A THIRD OF THEIR NORMAL COMBAT TRAINING SCHEDULES.