Japan Joint Staff: "Japan-U.S. Keen Sword 27, 11 Days From October 19… About 45,000 Self-Defense Forces Personnel"
In a notice on September 29, the Joint Staff of Japan's Ministry of Defense said it would conduct the Japan-U.S. Joint Integrated Exercise "Keen Sword 27" from October 19 (Mon) to 29 (Thu). The scale of Self-Defense Forces participation is about 45,000 personnel, about 6,100 vehicles, about 40 vessels, and about 260 aircraft. These numbers are the Self-Defense Forces' share stated by the Joint Staff. The scale of U.S. military participation is not stated in the notice. The notice stated that the purpose of this exercise is "to exercise and verify Japan-U.S. joint responses and the Self-Defense Forces' joint operations in various contingencies, and to maintain and improve joint and integrated operations capabilities."
What It Does — Based on the Notice
According to the Joint Staff notice, the exercise locations are Self-Defense Forces facilities and U.S. Forces Japan facilities and areas, civilian airports and ports, public and private land in Japan, and sea and airspace around Japan. The exercise controllers are, on the Self-Defense Forces side, Commander of the Joint Operations Command Vice Admiral Tawara Jiki, and on the U.S. side, Commander of the Pacific Fleet Admiral Stephen Koehler.
There are 15 major training items. They include integrated air and missile defense, joint anti-ship combat, land, maritime, and air operations, amphibious operations, response to cyber attacks, information warfare, space situational awareness, electromagnetic wave operations, rear-area operations, maneuver dispersal operations, protection of important facilities, and demonstration experiments. As participating foreign forces, U.S. Pacific Command and its subordinate Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps commands and U.S. Forces Japan are listed. The Australian military (Defence Joint Operations Headquarters, etc.) was listed separately, and under "Other" are the Canadian, French, German, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Philippine militaries. The notice did not distinguish the manner of participation of the "Other" countries (whether unit participation or observation).
The Week Immediately Before the Exercise — The Schedule Stated by Official Accounts
U.S. Naval Forces 7th Fleet posted on its official X account at 13:25 on the 16th (KST) that "the 9th Carrier Strike Group, led by the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), arrived in Yokosuka, Japan, for professional exchanges ahead of Keen Sword." https://x.com/US7thFleet/status/2110950175095103919
Japan's Ministry of Defense posted on its English account at 15:15 on the 15th (KST) that "Defense Minister Koizumi met with U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine and exchanged views to further strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. Alliance." https://x.com/ModJapan_en/status/2110615597247869001
The Joint Staff's English account said at 17:34 on the 16th (KST) that "Chief of Staff, Joint Staff Uchikura held talks on the 14th with Chairman Caine, who was visiting Japan, and discussed regional security challenges and Japan-U.S. defense cooperation for a 'free and open Indo-Pacific.'" https://x.com/JapanJointStaff/status/2111012991080833111
Earlier than that, Japan's Ministry of Defense posted at 20:16 on the 9th (KST) that "Defense Minister Koizumi received a courtesy call from U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander Paparo and confirmed that they would work to strengthen the Japan-U.S. Alliance and maintain regional peace and stability." https://x.com/ModJapan_en/status/2108517074469617982
In the same set of posts, Japan's Ministry of Defense said that regarding a robbery-murder case that occurred in Okinawa, Defense Minister Koizumi "strongly protested" to the U.S. side and demanded cooperation in the investigation and prevention of recurrence. It stated that at the October 15 meeting with Chairman Caine as well, it reiterated the Japanese government's position on this case. The fact that, separately from the joint exercise, the Japanese government is dealing with a case involving the U.S. military as an official agenda item is also included in Japan's Ministry of Defense announcement.
Where It Can Be Seen — Local Government Notices
Japanese local governments also posted the same notice for local residents. Nagasaki Prefecture said on September 30 that it had "received an explanation from the Kyushu Defense Bureau that it would be conducted from October 19 to 29 in the sea and airspace around Japan including Nagasaki Prefecture, Self-Defense Forces facilities, U.S. military bases, etc." The prefecture requested the Kyushu Defense Bureau to "ensure safety thoroughly during training." The Nagasaki Prefecture posted version has the same content as the Joint Staff's September 29 notice. The Joint Staff notice does not state what equipment is deployed to which island, whether equipment is a "first deployment," range figures, or a combined participation total including the U.S. military. The participation personnel stated in the notice are about 45,000 Self-Defense Forces personnel.
Name Notation — "Keen Sword 27"
The official name is "Keen Sword 27." It is an exercise in "Reiwa 8 (2026)" by Japanese fiscal year, but the number in the name is 27. Some posts and reports write "Keen Sword 2026" and "Keen Sword 2027." The notation in the Joint Staff notice is "Keen Sword 27." The nature of the exercise is stated in the notice as a "joint integrated exercise (live exercise)." There is no expression in the notice that it assumes a specific country.
Position of the Other Side — One Line
As of October 17, China's Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued no official mention regarding Keen Sword 27. There was no question and answer regarding Keen Sword 27 in China's Ministry of National Defense regular announcement on October 16 or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regular press conference on October 16. The exercise begins on October 19.
It is because Keen Sword is a regular exercise in which the Japan-U.S. Alliance moves actual forces to check joint response procedures. According to the Joint Staff notice, the Japan-U.S. Joint Integrated Exercise began in fiscal 1985 (Showa 60). Since then, live exercises and command post exercises have generally been held alternately each year, and this year's live exercise is the 18th. The changes that can be confirmed in this notice are that civilian airports and ports and public and private land were specified as locations, and that six countries other than the United States and Australia were listed as "Other." The notice does not state whether this is the first time.