Report on Japanese Military Power 2012 (13)

B. Joint military exercises between Japan and the U.S.

From Nov. 5th to 16th, 2012, Japan and the U.S. conducted a joint exercise codenamed Keen Sword in the waters near Kyushuk, Hokkaido, and Akita. 37,000 officers and men from the Service Staff, Western and Northern Army of the JGSDF, Central Readiness Force, JSDF Fleet, and Japan Air Defense Command, 30 vessels, and 240 aircraft from the Japanese side, as well as around 10,000 officers and men from the USFJ, the 7th Fleet, Pacific Air Forces and Marine Corps from the U.S. side took part in the exercise. Keen Sword is a bilateral joint training exercise conducted every other year since 1985, featuring joint operations in island defense. An island retaking operation had been planned on the uninhabited Irisuna Island, but given China’s attitude and local protests, the operation was cancelled.

Annual Japan-U.S. Joint Regional Army command post exercise takes place in both the U.S. and Japan. From July 10th to 21st, 2012, the command post exercise was held in Hawaii. Over 200 senior officers from JGSDF Staff and Northeastern Army and from the USFJ took part in the exercise. From Dec. 1st to 13th, around 4,500 personnel from the Northeastern Army and 1,500 personnel from the U.S. Pacific Command, USAJ Command, the 8th Army and Marine Corps participated in the exercise held at a JSDF base in Sendai. During the exercises, both sides carried out operational simulation and map maneuver to improve command-post level coordination.

There have also been frequent regiment-level exercises between Japan and the U.S.. From August 19th to 30th, some battalions from the 4th Division of the JSDF and the 3rd U.S. Marine Corps conducted a joint training exercise in Hijyudai Exercise Ground, Kyushu. From August 21st to September 26th, some battalions from the 3rd Division of the JSDF and the 3rd U.S. Marine Corps conducted joint training in U.S. air and naval bases in Guam and Northern Mariana Islands. From September 4th to 24th, battalions from the 2nd Division of the JSDF went to the State of Washington to conduct joint training with U.S. forces. From October 24th to November 7th, battalions from the 10th Division of the JSDF conducted joint training with the 25th U.S. Infantry Division and other units in Aibano Exercise Ground and Imazu Base. Although there were differences in terms of training subjects and equipment, all the joint training exercises were aimed at enhancing rapid response capabilities.

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