The U.S. and Japan wrapped up a joint command post exercise late this week that analysts said was aimed at improving the coordination of their capabilities in dealing with threats from China.
The Keen Edge 24 computer simulation exercise was intended “to practice responses in the event of a crisis or contingency,” said the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command as it began the exercise on February 1. It ended Thursday.
It is part of an annual bilateral exercise that alternates with field training exercises Keen Sword. The Australia Defense Force participated in Keen Edge for the first time this year.
The U.S. and Japan named China as a hypothetical enemy for the first time in their exercise instead of a provisional name used previously, the Kyodo News reported Sunday, citing unnamed government sources.
The Japanese Defense Ministry reportedly classified the exercise scenarios under the country’s secrecy law, Kyodo reported.
Pentagon spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Martin Meiners told VOA’s Korean Service on Wednesday that “we do not discuss specific exercise scenarios” and that “Keen Edge 2024 provides a realistic training environment” for the U.S., Japan and Australia to respond to various crisis and contingency situations.