The U.S. and Japan are conducting large-scale joint military exercises called " Keen Sword," involving approximately 45,000 participants | WPN World People News

The Japan Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military will conduct the 17th joint large-scale exercise, "Keen Sword," starting on October 23 for a duration of 10 days. This exercise will involve approximately 45,000 personnel and aims to strengthen the joint response and operational capabilities of the Japan-U.S. forces to ensure Japan's security, without targeting any specific country.

The "Keen Sword" exercises will take place from October 23 to November 1 around the "Nansei Islands," from Amami Oshima in Kagoshima Prefecture to Okinawa Prefecture. About 33,000 members of the Japan Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces will participate, alongside approximately 12,000 personnel from the U.S. Pacific Forces and U.S. forces stationed in Japan. The exercises are expected to involve 40 ships, 370 aircraft, 6 F-22 stealth fighters, and 6 F-35B jets, marking the first time civilian airports and ports will be utilized, with around 30 locations being requisitioned. Additionally, some troops from Australia and Canada will participate, and observers from Western and NATO member countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, South Korea, the Philippines, India, and Lithuania, have been invited.

The exercise will include joint anti-ship combat, integrated air and missile defense, island defense, ensuring maritime transport security, protection of critical facilities, frontline weapons and fuel supply, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training. On the same day, Japan's Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, Keisuke Yoshida, and U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Stephen Koehler held a joint press conference aboard the USS San Diego at the U.S. Navy base in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, emphasizing that unilateral changes to the status quo in the Indo-Pacific region through the use of force will not be tolerated. They highlighted the importance of Japan-U.S. cooperation in enhancing deterrence to protect Japan's security.