YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — The U.S. military and Japan Self-Defense Force have closed out Keen Edge, an 11-day bilateral command post exercise that used computer simulations to test reaction capabilities in real time.
About 485 U.S. and 1,300 Japanese personnel participated in the drill.
U.S. participants included Commander, Naval Forces Japan; U.S. Army Japan; Marine Forces Japan; the 13th Air Force, Detachment 1; and U.S. Forces Japan headquarters staff.
"Our two militaries trained exceptionally well together and continued to build on existing processes and procedures," said Lt. Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., the USFJ commander.
"Due to the hard work of everyone involved, both our nations are better prepared to meet any challenge that could arise in the East Pacific region."
Solidifying coordination in areas such as force protection, ballistic missile defense and noncombatant evacuation operations was among Keen Edge’s chief objectives, according to Marine Corps Master Sgt. Terence Peck, a USFJ spokesman.
As a matter of policy, officials do not discuss specific exercise scenarios.
He said the Defense Threat Reduction Agency performed an assessment, but no grades were handed down.
"Instead, we worked closely with the assessors to identify areas where we performed well and areas where we need to improve," Peck said.
"Overall, both parties are very satisfied."
Exercises like Keen Edge deter aggression in the region and allow the U.S. and Japan to protect common interests, USFJ said.
"We have a shared commitment to defeating the global threat of terrorism while maintaining regional stability [and] Japanese and U.S. interests in Asia," said Marine Corps Maj. Neil Murphy, USFJ’s deputy public affairs officer.
