# Japan and US Start Joint Drills Amid Regional Tensions

> Japan and US begin large-scale joint military drills near contested islands as regional tensions rise.
- Title: Japan and US Start Joint Drills Amid Regional Tensions
- Summary: Japan and US begin large-scale joint military drills near contested islands as regional tensions rise. Japan and US troops start Keen Sword 27 exercises to…
- Keywords: japan, keen sword 27, southwestern islands, military exercises, regional tensions, china, north korea, russia, news, local, Start, Joint
- Source: Seattletimes — https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/japan-and-the-us-kick-off-joint-drills-around-islands-as-regional-tensions-rise
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: japan, us, keen sword 27, southwestern islands, military exercises, regional tensions, china, north korea, russia, news, local
## Japan and US kick off joint drills
Japanese and U.S. troops began Keen Sword 27, a biennial military exercise focusing on defending Japan’s southwestern islands.
## 45,000 Japanese and 12,000 US troops join
About 45,000 Japanese troops and 12,000 American service members participate in the biennial Keen Sword 27 exercise.
## Seven nations join drills
Seven other nations from the Indo-Pacific region and Europe participate in some elements of the exercises, five for the first time.
## Drills focus on southwestern islands
The drills include amphibious landing, air and missile defense, mine sweeping, intelligence gathering, logistics, and casualty evacuation.
## Yonaguni island key location
Yonaguni, Japan’s westernmost island 110 kilometers east of Taiwan, hosts key drills and new weapons systems.
## Japan deploys new missile system
Japan’s Self-Defense Force introduced its first long-range Type-25 land-to-ship missile with a 1,000-kilometer range.
## US systems deployed to Yonaguni
US NMESIS and MADIS systems are deployed to Yonaguni for the first time in Keen Sword 27.
## Key takeaway

Japan and US troops start Keen Sword 27 exercises to defend southwestern islands amid rising tensions from China, North Korea and Russia.