Amidst increasing military activity by China around Taiwan, Japan and the United States are launching a large-scale joint military exercise to bolster their defense readiness. The exercise, dubbed “Keen Sword 27” and beginning this Monday, will see the deployment of Japan’s long-range anti-ship missiles outside of their home bases for the first time.
Simultaneously, the United States is deploying an advanced anti-ship missile system to an island near Taiwan. According to a report by The Japan Times, this iteration of the biennial exercise is the largest to date, involving approximately 45,000 personnel from the Japan Self-Defense Forces and 12,000 troops from the United States. The drills will continue until October 29.
For the first time, Type-12 anti-ship missiles—which have a range of approximately 1,000 kilometers—will be moved from their base in Kumamoto Prefecture to another location as part of the exercise. These missiles are a critical component of Japan’s strategy to develop counter-strike capabilities.
Meanwhile, the United States is deploying the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) to Yonaguni Island in Okinawa Prefecture. Located just 110 kilometers from Taiwan, the island offers a vantage point from which this US missile system could strike large areas of the sea to the north and east of Taiwan—a region that could become strategically vital should China attempt to blockade Taiwan.
This marks the first “Keen Sword” exercise since the establishment of Japan’s Joint Operations Command. The drills will focus on enhancing coordination between the two nations’ forces, as well as conducting operations across the space, cyber, and electromagnetic domains.
General Hiroaki Uchikura, Chief of the Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, stated that a key objective of the exercise is to test the ability of Japanese and US forces to rapidly deploy troops and military equipment to the southwestern islands.
He added that the exercise is not directed at any specific country. Rather, the goal is to develop the necessary measures and capabilities to respond appropriately to any situation.
