The joint training conducted by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Marine Corps for the defense of outlying islands has always been held in the United States. However, in the face of the frequent activities of the Chinese military near the southwestern islands of Japan, it was held in Japan for the first time this year.
The Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) reported that the United States and Japan will send a total of about 1,700 people this time to participate in joint defense training for outlying islands held in Kyushu, Okinawa and other places in Japan from February 16 to March 12.
What was released to the media on February 18 was part of the training process at the "Hisuntai Exercise Ground" in Oita Prefecture, Kyushu. The main content is based on the scenario that the United States and Japan jointly retake the occupied outlying islands.
During the process, you can see the landing of the Osprey transport plane (MV-22 Osprey) and the helicopter carrying the US Marines, and the procedures for the US and Japan to confirm that each other's members will join forces to go to the front line, etc.
In order to strengthen the defense of outlying islands, the United States and Japan began to implement this joint training in 2006. Previously, it was held in the United States. However, with the frequent activities of the Chinese military near the southwestern islands of Japan, this joint training for the defense of the outlying islands was moved to Japan for the first time.
The joint training project includes the implementation of amphibious vehicle landing training and live ammunition shooting training on outlying islands in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan and the US Marine Corps Base in Okinawa.