Iron Fist deepens integration of Japanese, U.S. forces

FORUM Staff

Iron Fist 2024, three weeks of amphibious defense exercises between Japan and the United States, marked a milestone in its 18th iteration, with U.S. forces integrating more deeply than before with Japanese Marines, military leaders said. It also was the second consecutive year that Japan hosted the drills after the exercise relocated from Camp Pendleton, California.

“With each bilateral event that we … have participated in, I’ve witnessed our combined knowledge and ability to rapidly integrate grow significantly,” U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matthew Danner, leader of the Okinawa, Japan-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, said in a statement.

Iron Fist increased interoperability and strengthened relationships among the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy. Held on Kyushu — the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands — on Okinawa and at sea, the exercise featured 2,100 defense personnel from the two allies. Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the Philippines and the United Kingdom joined as observers.

The exercise, which concluded in mid-March, focused on advanced marksmanship, amphibious reconnaissance, fire and maneuver assaults, bilateral logistics and medical support, and fire support operations, such as mortars, artillery and close-air support.

Participating Japanese units and vessels included the 2nd Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, Landing Ship Division 1 and the tank landing ship JS Kunisaki, according to the Stars and Stripes newspaper.

U.S. Sailors assigned to the America Amphibious Ready Group, U.S. Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, the amphibious assault ship USS America and the transport dock USS Green Bay also participated. The USS America and its crew conducted formation sails with JMSDF ships; visit, board, search and seizure drills; and flight operations with JGSDF aircraft.

Iron Fist took place against the backdrop of the People’s Republic of China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific, including the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) attempts to coerce self-governed Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory and threatens to annex by force.

“We will show to the world that any attempt to invade Japan will end in failure in the face of the Japan-U.S. alliance,” Maj. Gen. Hajime Kitajima, commander of the JGSDF Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, told reporters. His comments followed an Iron Fist joint landing drill in Okinawa prefecture to simulate recapturing a remote Japanese island.

In recent years, Japan has strengthened its amphibious capabilities in response to the PLA’s rapid buildup and, in early 2023, Tokyo and Washington announced plans to bolster ties following Japan’s pledge to double defense spending by 2027.

“Iron Fist was a success because over the course of the exercise we have shared best practices, learned from one another and sharpened our collective swords to improve our ability to conduct combined amphibious operations,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Kelly Fletcher, commodore of Amphibious Squadron 11.