Japan and U.S. Begin Keen Sword 27 Near Taiwan

Japan and the United States began Keen Sword 27 on October 19, a biennial military exercise involving about 45,000 Japanese personnel and roughly 11,000 U.S. service members, according to the countries’ military authorities. The exercise is scheduled to run through October 29, with training focused on Japan’s southwestern islands and surrounding waters. Reports say Japanese Type 25 and U.S. NMESIS missile systems were deployed to Yonaguni, Japan’s westernmost island, about 110 kilometers east of Taiwan. The Type 25 is a land-to-ship missile system; one report said it would not be test-fired during the exercise. U.S. forces also deployed a HIMARS rocket system to Ishigaki, where the opening ceremony took place. The reported deployments are part of the drills, and the supplied information does not establish that the systems were fired. Japan’s Joint Staff says the exercise plan includes air and missile defense, antiship operations, responses to cyberattacks, information warfare, logistics and protection of critical infrastructure. Training is planned at military facilities as well as civilian airports and ports, and in waters and airspace around Japan. The plan also includes...