Tokyo, 29 September, /AJMEDIA/
Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force and the French Army conducted a joint live-fire exercise in the South Pacific on Thursday, as the two nations seek to boost defense cooperation amid increasing military assertiveness by China in the region.
The latest drills were part of “Brunet Takamori,” the two countries’ first-ever joint ground combat exercise held from Sept. 10 to Saturday in the French territory of New Caledonia.
About 60 Japanese personnel and some 250 French troops are taking part in the exercise involving live-fire, reconnaissance, communications and tactical drills, among others.
Commander of the French armed forces in New Caledonia Gen. Yann Latil told reporters on Thursday that both organizations were able to learn a lot and work together at a close level, adding that the Indo-Pacific strategies of Japan and France are “quite similar” under the shared objective of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Col. Hirokazu Ito, commanding officer of the GSDF’s 5th Infantry Regiment, which took part in the three-week exercise, emphasized the significance of the training and said it was an opportunity to learn from the French.
“The French forces have experienced various field battles around the world in the past. In terms of combat skills, they have cultivated the know-how,” he said.
Japan and France have increased defense cooperation in recent years under the Japan-France Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement, which came into effect in 2019.
