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Japan-U.S. drill to defend remote islands

Photo shows the U.S. Marine Corps' missile systems -- the Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS (front), and the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or NMESIS -- at Camp Hansen in the southern Japan island prefecture of Okinawa on June 30, 2026, the final day of the Resolute Dragon Japan-U.S. joint defense drill. A total of 9,600 Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and Marine Corps personnel took part in the 11-day drill, conducted in Okinawa and the southwestern Japan main island of Kyushu to strengthen capabilities to defend remote islands.

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Japan-U.S. drill to defend remote islands

Lt. Gen. Seiji Toriumi (R), commander of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Western Army, shakes hands with Lt. Gen. Roger Turner, commanding general of the U.S. Marine Corps' III Marine Expeditionary Force, during a press conference at the Marine Corps' Camp Hansen in the southern Japan island prefecture of Okinawa on June 30, 2026, the final day of the Resolute Dragon joint defense drill. A total of 9,600 GSDF and Marine Corps personnel took part in the 11-day drill, conducted in Okinawa and the southwestern Japan main island of Kyushu to strengthen capabilities to defend remote islands.

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Japan-U.S. drill to defend remote islands

Lt. Gen. Seiji Toriumi (R), commander of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Western Army, shakes hands with Lt. Gen. Roger Turner, commanding general of the U.S. Marine Corps' III Marine Expeditionary Force, during a press conference at the Marine Corps' Camp Hansen in the southern Japan island prefecture of Okinawa on June 30, 2026, the final day of the Resolute Dragon joint defense drill. A total of 9,600 GSDF and Marine Corps personnel took part in the 11-day drill, conducted in Okinawa and the southwestern Japan main island of Kyushu to strengthen capabilities to defend remote islands.

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Japan-U.S. joint firing drill

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Marine Corps conduct a joint firing exercise on June 28, 2026, at the GSDF's Hijudai training range located across Kusu and surrounding areas in Oita Prefecture, southwestern Japan. About 400 GSDF and Marine Corps personnel took part in the exercise, part of the Resolute Dragon joint defense drill, designed to strengthen capabilities to defense remote islands.

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Japan-U.S. joint firing drill

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Marine Corps conduct a joint firing exercise on June 28, 2026, at the GSDF's Hijudai training range located across Kusu and surrounding areas in Oita Prefecture, southwestern Japan. About 400 GSDF and Marine Corps personnel took part in the exercise, part of the Resolute Dragon joint defense drill, designed to strengthen capabilities to defense remote islands.

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Japan-U.S. joint defense drill

Colonel Richard Neikirk, commanding officer of the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment of the U.S. Marine Corps, attends joint exercise Resolute Dragon designed to strengthen capabilities to defend remote islands at the Ground Self-Defense Force's Hijudai training range located across Kusu and surrounding areas in Oita Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on June 25, 2026.

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Japan-U.S. joint defense drill

Colonel Richard Neikirk, commanding officer of the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment of the U.S. Marine Corps, attends joint exercise Resolute Dragon designed to strengthen capabilities to defend remote islands at the Ground Self-Defense Force's Hijudai training range located across Kusu and surrounding areas in Oita Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on June 25, 2026.

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Japan-U.S. joint defense exercise

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force personnel and U.S. Marine Corps personnel attend a ceremony at the GSDF's Kengun base in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, on June 20, 2026, ahead of their joint exercise Resolute Dragon designed to strengthen capabilities to defend remote islands.

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Japan-U.S. joint drill on Ishigaki Island

Photo taken on Sept. 17, 2025, shows the U.S. Marine Corps' missile systems -- the Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS (L and C), and the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or NMESIS -- at the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Camp Ishigaki on Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, deployed for the Sept. 11-25 Resolute Dragon Japan-U.S. joint exercise.

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Japan-U.S. joint drill on Ishigaki Island

Photo taken on Sept. 17, 2025, shows the U.S. Marine Corps' missile systems -- the Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS (L and C), and the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or NMESIS -- at the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Camp Ishigaki on Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, deployed for the Sept. 11-25 Resolute Dragon Japan-U.S. joint exercise.

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Japan-U.S. joint drill on Ishigaki Island

Photo taken from a drone shows the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Camp Ishigaki on Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, on Sept. 17, 2025, during the Sept. 11-25 Resolute Dragon joint exercise with the U.S. Marine Corps.

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Japan-U.S. joint drill on Ishigaki Island

Photo taken from a drone shows the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Camp Ishigaki on Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, on Sept. 17, 2025, during the Sept. 11-25 Resolute Dragon joint exercise with the U.S. Marine Corps.

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JSDF-U.S. Marines joint drill

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and U.S. Marine Corps personnel get out of an armored vehicle during the "Resolute Dragon" joint drill on Oct. 29, 2023, at Hijudai artillery range in Oita Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

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Japanese SDF equipment

File photo taken Oct. 29, 2023, shows Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Type 16 mobile combat vehicles, seen during the "Resolute Dragon" Japan-U.S. joint drill at Hijudai artillery range in Oita Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

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[Breaking News]Japan-U.S. joint defense exercise

YONAGUNI, Japan, Aug. 4 Kyodo - Video taken Aug. 4, 2024, shows a U.S. Marine Corps latest-model radar deployed at the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force's camp on Yonaguni Island in the southern Japan prefecture of Okinawa during Resolute Dragon, a Japan-U.S. joint exercise held between late July and early August. The drill is aimed at strengthening the capability to defend remote islands. (Kyodo)

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Japan-U.S. joint defense exercise

Photo taken Aug. 4, 2024, shows a U.S. Marine Corps latest-model radar (back) deployed at the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force's camp on Yonaguni Island in the southern Japan prefecture of Okinawa during Resolute Dragon, a Japan-U.S. joint exercise held between late July and early August. The drill is aimed at strengthening the capability to defend remote islands.

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Japan-U.S. joint defense exercise

Photo taken Aug. 4, 2024, shows a U.S. Marine Corps latest-model radar (back) deployed at the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force's camp on Yonaguni Island in the southern Japan prefecture of Okinawa during Resolute Dragon, a Japan-U.S. joint exercise held between late July and early August. The drill is aimed at strengthening the capability to defend remote islands.

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Japan-U.S. joint defense exercise

Photo taken Aug. 4, 2024, shows a U.S. Marine Corps latest-model radar deployed at the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force's camp on Yonaguni Island in the southern Japan prefecture of Okinawa during Resolute Dragon, a Japan-U.S. joint exercise held between late July and early August. The drill is aimed at strengthening the capability to defend remote islands.

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GSDF Osprey aircraft in Okinawa

ISHIGAKI, Japan Kyodo - A drill for transporting injured personnel is carried out using a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force V-22 Osprey tilt-rot　or aircraft at Ishigaki airport on Ishigaki Island in the southern Japan prefecture of Okinawa on Oct. 24, 2023, as part of a joint exercise between the GSDF and the U.S. Marine Corps. (Kyodo)

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Japan-U.S. joint defense exercise

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force personnel and U.S. Marine Corps personnel attend a ceremony at the GSDF's Kengun base in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, on Oct. 14, 2023, ahead of their joint exercise Resolute Dragon designed to strengthen capability to defend remote islands.

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Japan-U.S. joint defense exercise

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force personnel (back) and U.S. Marine Corps personnel attend a ceremony at the GSDF's Kengun base in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, on Oct. 14, 2023, ahead of their joint exercise Resolute Dragon designed to defend remote islands.

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Japan-U.S. joint defense exercise

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force personnel (back) and U.S. Marine Corps personnel attend a ceremony at the GSDF's Kengun base in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, on Oct. 14, 2023, ahead of their joint exercise Resolute Dragon designed to defend remote islands.