Japan and the US kick off joint drills around islands as regional tensions rise
About 57,000 Japanese and U.S. personnel will practice island defense, missile deployments and joint operations as China-related tensions rise.
- On Monday, Japan and the United States launched Keen Sword, an 11-day military exercise involving approximately 57,000 personnel focused on defending southwestern islands near Taiwan.
- Japan's 2026 Defense White Paper identifies China's expanding military activities as a major strategic challenge. The exercises serve as a dress rehearsal for defending the southwestern island chain amid rising regional pressure.
- Japanese forces will deploy surface-to-ship missiles outside Kumamoto Prefecture for the first time, while the Marine Corps plans to test the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System and Marine Air Defense Integrated System on Yonaguni.
- Forces from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the Philippines are participating. The allies plan to establish a joint coordination center on Yonaguni to improve communication across island units.
- Yonaguni officials requested precautions from the Japanese Defense Ministry to minimize disruptions to local residents and businesses. Civilian airports and ports will be used to transport personnel and equipment throughout the exercise.
35 Articles
35 Articles
Japan and the U.S. kick off joint drills around islands as regional tensions rise
Japanese and U.S. troops on Monday kicked off one of their largest joint exercises focusing on the defense of Japan’s southwestern islands and showcasing advanced weapons systems in the face of growing tension in the region.
Associated Press News
Japan and the US kick off joint drills around islands as regional tensions rise
Japanese and U.S. troops have kicked off one of their largest joint exercises, focusing on defending Japan's southwestern islands.
Some 56,000 Japanese and US troops join 11-day Keen Sword exercise alongside forces from 7 other countries
Free Malaysia Today News
Insider PaperJapan deploys long-range missiles for joint US military drill
The Keen Sword drill involves 45,000 Japanese Self-Defense Forces personnel and 12,000 US troops, with Japan deploying long-range Type 25 missiles outside their base for the first time.
Tokyo, Oct. 19 (EFE).- The Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. Army began a joint exercise in Japan this Monday, with the mobilization of more than 57,000 military personnel, in maneuvers focused on the defense of islands to the southwest of the archipelago, close to Taiwan. The biennial exercise ‘Keen Sword’, which will last until [...] Entry Japan and the U.S. initiate joint maneuvers with a record of 57,000 military personnel was first …
The Atom carrier of the United States Navy Theodore Roosevelt, as part of the strike group, engaged in large-scale joint manoeuvres between Washington and Tokyo, Keen Sword. The nuclear carrier of the United States Navy, Theodore Roosevelt, left Yokosuk base near the Gulf of Tokyo and went on a large-scale American-Japan Keen Sword manoeuvre, transferring TASS with reference to the Kiodo agency. The ship carries up to 90 aircraft and helicopters…
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