Large-scale multilateral military exercises Keen Sword 2027 have started on the Japanese island of Ishigaki. The maneuvers involve approximately 45,000 personnel from Japan's Self-Defense Forces and 11,000 American military personnel. Units from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the Philippines have also joined the exercises. The large-scale joint drills are designed to practice coordination among the armed forces of the participating countries and enhance readiness for joint defensive operations in the region. Such exercises are conducted regularly and are considered an important element of military cooperation between Japan, the United States, and their allies in the Indo-Pacific region.