Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the US military began large-scale joint drills on Saturday based on the scenario of defending remote Japanese islands, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, NHK, reported.
The exercise is being held in the southwestern region of Kyushu, the southern prefecture of Okinawa and the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido.
About 6,400 personnel from the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force and the US Marine Corps are involved. The drills will last until the end of this month.
At the opening ceremony held in Kumamoto City, Lieutenant General Yamane Toshikazu of the GSDF said the exercise will directly lead to security in Japan and the Indo-Pacific region.
Brigadier General Adam Chalkley of the US Marine Corps stressed the importance of strengthening the bonds between the US military and Japan's SDF.
During the training, US troops are being deployed to the southwestern remote island of Ishigaki in Okinawa for the first time.
The two sides will confirm procedures for responses in the event of vessels and aircraft approaching the Nansei Islands, including Ishigaki.
GSDF Osprey transport aircraft will fly over Okinawa for the first time and conduct a drill of transporting injured personnel.
Other plans include live-fire drills at training grounds in Hokkaido and the southwestern prefecture of Oita.
Japan and the US apparently aim to ramp up their cooperation with China's growing maritime activities in mind.
Okinawa has asked the country's Defense Ministry to minimize the impact of the drills on people's lives in the prefecture.
