Japan Self-Defense Forces and U.S. military begin biennial exercise Keen Sword 2023

Units from the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and U.S. military have begun exercise Keen Sword 23 on November 10, 2022.

Keen Sword is the latest in a series of joint and bilateral field training exercises conducted since 1986 designed to increase combat readiness and interoperability of the JSDF and U.S. forces.

During this year’s iteration, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s (JGSDF) Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB) and U.S. Marines from III Marine Expeditionary Force will conduct amphibious landings side-by-side in the vicinity of mainland Japan. Additionally, there are numerous other training events that will explore every operational space with U.S. and Japanese units working side-by-side, exercising in the land, sea, air, space, and cyber domains simultaneously.

Service members from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force and Space Force will conduct training with their JSDF counterparts from military installations throughout mainland Japan, Okinawa prefecture, and their surrounding territorial waters. Further, there will be foreign observers spectating the training with additional units from Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom involved in the exercise.

Exercises like Keen Sword provide the JSDF and U.S. military opportunities to train together across a variety of mission areas in realistic scenarios to enhance readiness, interoperability, and build credible deterrence. Keen Sword is a key opportunity to foster ever closer cooperation between the United States and Japan and reinforce their strong alliance and shared values.

The following U.S. units are participating in Keen Sword: U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT), U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, U.S. Army Pacific, Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ), U.S. Army Japan, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Japan (CNFJ), 7th Fleet, 5^th Air Force, CTF 70/72/73/74/75/76, 613th Air Operations Center (AOC), 374th Airlift Wing, 18th Wing, 35th Fighter Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF), 3rd Marine Division (MARDIV), III MEF Information Group (MIG), 3^rd Marine Logistics Group, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 1st Battalion 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 27^th Special Operations Wing, 17^th Special Operations Squadron, Marine Aircraft Group 12, and the 1^st Multi-Domain Task Force.

Questions regarding JSDF training and personnel should be referred to Japan Joint Staff Office Public Affairs at +81-3-3268-3111 ext. 30056.