Tag Archives: Japanese self defense force

Marines, Japanese Ground Forces Link Up at Iron Fist for ACV, Amphibious Training

Marines, Japanese Ground Forces Link Up at Iron Fist for ACV, Amphibious Training

U.S. Marines with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) soldiers with 2nd Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment render honors during the Japanese and United States national anthems as part of the Exercise Iron Fist 2022 opening ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 10, 2022. US Marine Corps Photo

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – The U.S.-Japan amphibious exercise Iron Fist will include waterborne training with the Marine Corps’ newest amphibious combat vehicles. Read More

Iron Fist Teaching Japanese Amphib Force to Synch with U.S. Marines

Iron Fist Teaching Japanese Amphib Force to Synch with U.S. Marines

A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force assault amphibious vehicle drives on the beach during an amphibious assault as part of Exercise Iron Fist 2020 on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., on Feb. 12, 2020. US Marine Corps Photo

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – With dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD-52) in the hazy horizon, a procession of green-and-tan camouflaged amphibious assault vehicles pushed onto the sandy beach and headed north as Marines with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, held their positions. Read More

Officials: U.S.-Japan Iron Fist Amphib  Exercise 'Extremely Important' as China's Navy Expands

Officials: U.S.-Japan Iron Fist Amphib Exercise ‘Extremely Important’ as China’s Navy Expands

U.S. Marines with 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force soldiers with Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade stand in formation during the opening ceremony of Exercise Iron Fist 2020 on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California on Jan. 17, 2020. US Marine Corps Photo

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Sailors and Marines kicked off an annual bilateral Iron Fist exercise with Japanese soldiers on Friday that’s designed to help Japan’s fledgling amphibious force become ready to operate. Read More

Iron Fist 2018 Ramps Up Training as Japan Readies 1st Amphibious Unit

Iron Fist 2018 Ramps Up Training as Japan Readies 1st Amphibious Unit

Marines with 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Soldiers with Western Army Infantry Regiment, Japan Ground Self Defense Force stand in formation as part of the Exercise Iron Fist 2018 opening ceremony on Jan. 12. US Marine Corps Photo

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — With its official operational date fast approaching, Japan’s first Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade kicked off the bilateral Iron Fist 2018 exercise on Friday with an opening ceremony alongside its Marine Corps hosts. It wasn’t a time for long speeches. Read More

Japanese Officials: Washington and Tokyo Need More Ballistic Missile Defense Cooperation

Japanese Officials: Washington and Tokyo Need More Ballistic Missile Defense Cooperation

U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD), and U.S. Navy Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) successfully conducted a flight test Feb. 3 (Hawaii Standard Time), resulting in the first intercept of a ballistic missile target using the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA off the west coast of Hawaii. For more information visit https://www.mda.mil. (U.S. Navy photo by Leah Garton/Released)

To counter immediate and growing North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile threats, three former Japanese ministers of defense said Tokyo needs to work with Washington to enhance ballistic missile defense capabilities to better defend itself and develop an effective counterstrike if attacked. Read More

Japanese Politician: Trump Message on Defense Should Spark Wake Up Call in Tokyo

Japanese Politician: Trump Message on Defense Should Spark Wake Up Call in Tokyo

Sailors aboard Japanese destroyer JS KONGO (DDG-173) watch pierside line handlers as the ship moors pierside Naval Station Pearl Harbor on Oct. 15, 2007. US Navy Photo

President Donald Trump’s message to Tokyo to pick up more of the burden in the defense alliance “should be a trigger for us” to examine “our own thoughts of security,” a founder of the Japan Innovation Party told an audience at a Washington, D.C., think tank Monday. Read More

Iron Fist 2017: Japan Under Time Crunch to Establish New Amphibious Unit

Iron Fist 2017: Japan Under Time Crunch to Establish New Amphibious Unit

A Japan Ground Self Defense Force soldier gives orders to bound after exiting an Assault Amphibious Vehicle, during Exercise Iron Fist 2017, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb. 25, 2017. US Marine Corps

A Japan Ground Self Defense Force soldier gives orders to bound after exiting an Assault Amphibious Vehicle, during Exercise Iron Fist 2017, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb. 25, 2017. US Marine Corps

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – While rough seas and queasy stomachs tested some 350 Japanese soldiers and command staffs who took to sea aboard Navy ships for exercise Iron Fist, time might be their greatest obstacle. Read More