PLA Daily: Top 10 military exercises of world in 2012(4)

D. Japan-U.S. "Keen Sword 13" joint actual-troop exercise

Exercise time: November 5 to 16

Participating countries: the U.S. and Japan

Exercise location: Japan's main military bases and Japan's surrounding sea areas and airspace

Exercise contents: land, sea and air operations, military base protection, joint projection and battlefield search and rescue

Concern index: ★★★★

Reason for concern: Japan-U.S. largest-ever joint military exercise Military strength committed: 37,000 servicemen from Japan's Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces, and 10,000 U.S. servicemen stationed in Japan

Expert's comments: the "Keen Sword" exercise dates back to the year 1986, and the "Keen Sword 13" is the 11th one. Although it deliberately kept a low profile on this exercise by cancelling the planned "Island-seizing" exercise on south Japan's Okinawa Island and taking such measures as conducting closed-door exercise, Japan clearly intended to strengthen its military presence in southwestern island chain and boost its morale in regional conflicts. (By Chen Guoye, from a troop unit under the Guangzhou Military Area Command (MAC) of the PLA)