Japan and the United States held military exercises to defend and control remote islands.
According to the news of The Japan Times, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces held a landing exercise on Tokunoshima Island in Kagoshima province as part of the “Iron Fist” joint exercise with the US Marine Corps.
Aiming to confirm their joint ability to defend the southwestern archipelago and control China’s growing naval presence, the parties conducted the exercise in a region close to the Nansei Islands.
In the exercise, designed to simulate defending remote islands and recapturing an occupied island, troops from the two countries acted in coordination to land.
Also, the soldiers conducted a parachute landing exercise on Kikaijima Island in Kagoshima.
The exercise, which started last month, is scheduled to last until March 12. Japanese and US troops will continue joint training at the US Marine Corps Camp in Okinawa.
All previous “Iron Fist” exercises had been conducted in the United States. (AA)