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Japan Self-Defense Forces and U.S. military begin biennial exercise Keen Sword 25

24-008 | Oct. 23, 2024

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan —

Units from the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and U.S. military are conducting exercise Keen Sword 25 from Oct. 23 to Nov. 1, 2024, at various locations across Japan. 

Keen Sword is the latest in a series of joint-bilateral field training exercises designed to increase combat readiness and interoperability of JSDF and U.S. forces. The U.S.-Japan alliance is built on shared interests and values and a commitment to freedom and human rights. Both countries are focused on ensuring regional peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region, including building new partnerships and strengthening multilateral cooperation and deterrence.

Service members from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard will conduct training with their JSDF counterparts alongside Australian and Canadian partners throughout mainland Japan, Okinawa prefecture, and its surrounding waters  .

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 (III MEF) will conduct multiple unilateral and side-by-side amphibious landings on Japanese islands as part of the exercise. These events will demonstrate the capability of forward-deployed forces to rapidly counter aggression against Japan and other regional Allies and partners while improving the readiness of our forces. 

This exercise, and others like it, are an opportunity to demonstrate to the world our will to defend Japan and the ironclad nature of the U.S.-Japan alliance, which has stood for more than 70 years.

The U.S. units scheduled to participate in Keen Sword 25 are U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM),  U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT), U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC), U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC), Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ), U.S. 7th Fleet (C7F), III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF), 3rd Marine Division (3d MARDIV), III MEF Information Group (III MIG), 3rd Marine Logistics Group (3rd MLG), 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW), U.S. Army Japan (USARJ), U.S. Naval Forces Japan (CNFJ), 5th Air Force (5 AF), 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command (AAMDC); 3rd Multi Domain Task Force (3rd MDTF), 613th Air Operations Center (AOC), 374th Airlift Wing (374 AW), 18th Wing (18 WG), 35th Fighter Wing (35 FW), and 17th Field Artillery Brigade (17th FAB).

Questions regarding JSDF training and personnel should be referred to Japan Joint Staff Office. Questions regarding Keen Sword 25 should be directed to the Combined Joint Information Bureau at indopacom.yokota.usfj.mbx.j021@mail.mil.

Further details of the exercise will be released throughout Keen Sword 25.

  • U.S. Forces Japan