TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The U.S. military will hold the biennial large-scale military exercise "Valiant Shield" in the Pacific region in June, and the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) will participate for the first time.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense (JSDF) said Friday (May 24) that it will participate in the large-scale, live-fire exercises for the first time. This will include activities at Japan's military bases.
Japanese media outlet NHK reported that since 2006, the U.S. military has conducted the Valiant Shield exercise every two years in locations such as Guam. The maneuvers involve over 10,000 personnel from the U.S. army, navy, air force, and marines.
This year's Valiant Shield exercise locations include areas around the Philippines, Hawaii, and Guam. Additionally, some training will be conducted at JSDF facilities in Japan, though it will not include Okinawa or Shikoku.
This will mark the first time that JSDF bases will be included as training sites for Valiant Shield. This move reportedly aims to strengthen the rapid response capabilities of Japan and the U.S. to address possible “contingencies” around Japan, per Nippon.com.
The U.S. reportedly invited the JSDF to participate in this Valiant Shield exercise and proposed that some training be conducted within Japan.
About 4,000 personnel from Japan's Ground, Maritime, and Air SDFs, along with approximately 130 vehicles and 60 aircraft, will participate in the exercise from June 7-18.
Nine prefectures in Japan will serve as training sites, with Japanese and American fighter jets taking off and landing at the Hachinohe Air Base of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in Aomori Prefecture and the Matsushima Air Base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) in Miyagi Prefecture after June 10.
Furthermore, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force training ground in Hokkaido Prefecture will carry out airborne training and anti-ship combat training will be conducted around Amami Oshima in Kagoshima Prefecture.
In addition, the U.S. military and Japanese forces will conduct runway repair training on Iwo Jima. The five other prefectures where training will take place include Tokyo, Kanagawa, Yamaguchi, Nagasaki, and Miyazaki, reported Japan Times.
