Japan and US launch major joint military exercises around southwestern islands amid regional tensions

Oct 19, 2026

Japan and the U.S. launched the Keen Sword 27 joint military exercises on October 19, 2026, mobilizing 45,000 Japanese and 12,000 American troops alongside forces from seven partner nations. Focused on defending Japan's southwestern islands near Taiwan, the drills deployed advanced missile systems, including the Type-25, HIMARS, and U.S. NMESIS, to remote outposts like Yonaguni amid heightened tensions with China, Russia, and North Korea.

Scope and objectives of Keen Sword 27

▪The Keen Sword 27 drills include amphibious landings, air and missile defense, mine sweeping, intelligence gathering, resupply logistics, and casualty evacuations across remote islands such as Tanegashima.
▪Japanese and U.S. troops launched the biennial Keen Sword 27 military exercises on October 19, 2026, running through October 29, 2026.
▪The Keen Sword 27 joint military exercises primarily focus on defending Japan's southwestern islands and northern coastal waters against security challenges from China, North Korea, and Russia.
▪Approximately 45,000 Japanese troops and 12,000 American service members are participating in the Keen Sword 27 joint military exercises.

Japan's security concerns regarding China

▪Japan views rapidly growing Chinese military activities in and around Japanese territory as a threat and has fortified its southwestern region with longer-range missiles and interceptors.
▪Japan has expressed official concern regarding China's gradual escalation of military activity around remote Japanese islands in the Pacific Ocean.
▪Diplomatic and economic ties between Japan and China strained after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated in 2025 that Chinese military action against Taiwan could justify Japanese involvement.

Missile deployments to southwestern islands

▪The U.S. military deployed the NMESIS ground-based offensive anti-ship missile system and MADIS short-range surface-to-air system to Yonaguni Island for the first time during Keen Sword 27.
▪Japan's Self-Defense Force introduced its first long-range Type-25 land-to-ship missile with a 1,000-kilometer range to Yonaguni Island during Keen Sword 27, without plans for live test-firing.
▪The U.S. military deployed the HIMARS mobile rocket launching system to Ishigaki Island during the Keen Sword 27 military exercises.

Participation of international partner nations

▪France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the Philippines participated in the Keen Sword joint military exercises for the first time in 2026.
▪Seven partner nations from the Indo-Pacific region and Europe participated in elements of the Keen Sword 27 exercises alongside Japan and the United States.