Japan and U.S. kick off one of their largest joint military drills defending Japan’s southwestern islands as tensions with China rise

Japanese and U.S. troops on Monday kicked off one of their largest joint exercises focusing on the defense of Japan’s southwestern islands and showcasing advanced weapons systems in the face of growing tension in the region. About 45,000 Japanese troops and 12,000 American service members are participating in the biennial Keen Sword 27. Seven other nations from the Indo-Pacific region and Europe are also taking part in some elements of the exercises, five of them — France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the Philippines — for the first time, according to Japan’s Joint Staff.

Source: Fortune Crypto