Recent Senior-Level Teleconferences

Defense Minister’s Teleconferences

Minister Kono had a telephone conference with Minister Ismail Sabri of Malaysia on July 20th.

Minister Ismail Sabri and Minister Kono exchanged views on the role of defense authorities in light of the spread of COVID-19, on the regional situation including the East China Sea and the South China Sea, and on bilateral defense cooperation and exchanges.

Minister Kono had a telephone conference with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg on July 21st, and had a video teleconference with Chief of Army Staff Bajwa of Pakistan on August 6th. In the respective conferences, Minister Kono and each leader exchanged views on the role of defense authorities given the global role of COVID-19 and on bilateral defense cooperation and exchanges.

On August 12th, Minister Kono had a telephone conference with Lord Minister Ma’afu of the Kingdom of Tonga. Furthermore, he had a video teleconference with Minister Seruiratu of Fiji on August 19th. In the conferences with each country there was an exchange of views on the role of defense authorities under the circumstances of the global spread of COVID-19 and on defense cooperation and exchanges with each country.

Additionally, Minister Kono had also a video teleconference with Minister Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia. In the conference, they exchanged views on defense cooperation and exchanges.

Chief of Staff’s Teleconferences

<Chief of Staff, Joint Staff>

General Yamazaki, Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, had a video teleconference with Lieutenant-General Melvyn Ong Su Kiat, Chief of Defence Force, Singapore Armed Forces on August 4th, and with Lieutenant General Thiab Saqr Al Nuaimi, Chief of Staff, Bahrain Defence Force on August 19th. In each conference, they confirmed the importance of promoting bilateral defense cooperation and exchanges. They also confirmed they would continue to cooperate on common challenges for the peace and stability in the region as well as the international community. In addition, they exchanged views on the situation affected by COVID-19 and each force’s activities to prevent the spread of infection.

<Chief of Staff, JGSDF>

General Yuasa, Chief of Staff, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force(JGSDF) had a telephone conference with Lieutenant General Richard Burr, Chief of Army, Australian Army on July 8th. Lt Gen Burr explained the "2020 Defence Strategic Update" that had been launched by Australia, and in light of the current situation with COVID-19 spreading globally, they exchanged views on future bilateral defense cooperation and exchanges in order to uphold and reinforce a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific," and promoted to strengthening cooperation between the two armies.

<Chief of Staff, JMSDF>

Admiral Yamamura, Chief of Staff, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), had a video teleconference with Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, Flag Officer in Command, Philippine Navy on July 22nd. During the conference they shared the importance of continuing defense cooperation and exchanges such as goodwill training, even amidst COVID-19. They also agreed to continue maintaining and strengthening relations between their navies towards the realization of a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific."

Admiral Yamamura also had a video teleconference with Vice Admiral Michael Noonan, Chief of Navy of Australia on August 5th. During the conference they exchanged views on a variety of topics, such as future bilateral exercise and high-level exchanges. They also confirmed that they will continue to closely cooperate in upholding and reinforcing the "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" vision.

<Chief of Staff, JASDF>

General Marumo, former Chief of Staff, Koku-Jieitai (JASDF), had a telephone conference with General Kenneth S. Wilsbach, Commander, Pacific Air Forces of the United States on August 4th. General Marumo congratulated General Wilsbach on his assuming the new role of commander in July, and they reaffirmed the importance of the Japan-U.S. Alliance in the region and their commitment to maintaining and strengthening firm cooperation between their air forces under the shared vision of a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific."

Japan-U.S. Bilateral Exercises and Exchange

Joint visit by JSDF Chief of Staff and Commander of U.S. Forces in Japan to the Tohoku region

On July 21st and 22nd, Gen. Yamazaki, Chief of Joint Staff, and Lt. Gen. Schneider, Commander of the U.S. Forces Japan, visited JASDF Misawa Air Base, JGSDF Camp Sendai and other key locations in the Tohoku region. The two generals conducted these visits to grasp the situation surrounding reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake and to further strengthen the Japan-U.S. Alliance, which was marked by the recent 60th anniversary of the signing of Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.

At Misawa Air Base, they checked the operation status of F-35A fighters of the 302nd Squadron, 3rd Air Wing.

At Matsushima Air Base, which suffered from the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, the generals gave words of encouragement to members of Blue Impulse, 4th Air Wing, 11th Squadron.

Next, at Camp Sendai, the generals looked back on the joint disaster relief operation in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake at the “TOMODACHI Memorial Hall,” a museum within Camp Sendai named after “Operation TOMODACHI,” the assistance operation conducted by the U.S. forces after the earthquake.

Furthermore, both generals visited Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukushima Prefecture, where the representatives provided the generals an explanation of the situation at the time of the earthquake and expressed their gratitude for the water spraying operations conducted by the JSDF at the time.

The two generals have further strengthened the close bond between JSDF and USFJ through these visits, and mutually pledged that they will contribute to ensuring the peace and stability of the region as well as the globe.

JMSDF participates in RIMPAC 2020

The JMSDF participated in Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) 2020 with an aim on improving tactical skills and enhancing mutual understanding and trust with participating countries. RIMPAC is a multinational exercise hosted by the U.S. Navy, held in the surrounding waters and airspace of the Hawaiian Islands.

Exercise RIMPAC has been conducted almost every other year since 1971, and the JMSDF has participated since 1980. This year marked the 21st time for JMSDF to participate, however, its scale has been downsized and the the training period has been shortened to two weeks due to the impact of COVID-19.

During the exercise, approx. 550 JMSDF personnel, helicopter destroyer JS Ise and its two aircraft, as well as JS Ashigara conducted anti-air, anti-submarine, and anti-surface warfare training with various countries.

Bilateral exercises between JMSDF and the U.S. Forces

On August 6th, the JMSDF JS Amagiri conducted a deck landing and take-off training with the U.S. Army’s two UH-60L helicopters in the sea and airspace of south of the Kanto region. JMSDF focused on improving its tactical skills and enhancing the cooperation with U.S. Army through this training.

From August 15th to 17th, JS Suzutsuki and the U.S. Navy USS Mustin conducted various tactical exercises in the East China Sea.

Further, from August 15th to 18th, JS Ikazuchi participated in various tactical exercises in the waters of south of Okinawa together with several U.S. navy vessels including the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.

Through these exercises, the JMSDF improved its tactical skills and strengthened cooperation with the U.S. forces.

Bilateral training between the JASDF and the U.S. Forces

On July 17th, the JASDF conducted a bilateral training with two B-1B Lancers of the U.S. Air Force in the airspace over the Sea of Japan and western Kyushu. Four F-15s each from the 2nd Air Wing (Chitose), the 5th Air Wing (Nyutabaru) and the 6th Air Wing (Komatsu) participated in the exercise. Four F-2s were sent from the 8th Air Wing (Tsuiki). They underwent navigation and formation training.

On July 27th, the JASDF conducted a bilateral training with a B-1B Lancer of the U.S. Air Force in the airspace around Japan. Four F-15s each from the 6th Air Wing (Komatsu) and the 9th Air Wing (Naha), three F-2s from the 7th Air Wing (Hyakuri), and four F-2s from the 8th Air Wing (Tsuiki) from the JASDF conducted navigation and formation training.

On August 7th, the JASDF conducted a bilateral training with a B-1B Lancer in the airspace over the Sea of Japan and around the Okinawa islands. From the JASDF, two F-15s from the 2nd Air Wing (Chitose), four F-15s from the 9th Air Wing (Naha), four F-2s each from the 7th Air Wing (Hyakuri) and the 8th Air Wing (Tsuiki) participated in navigation and formation training.

On August 18th, JASDF aircraft conducted a bilateral training with three B-1B Lancers, ten F-15s and one E-3 airborne early warning and control aircraft from the U.S. Air Force in the airspace over the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea, and vicinity of the Okinawa islands. Two U.S. Navy F/A-18s and three U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs also joined in these exercises. From the JASDF, four F-15s each from the 2nd Air Wing (Chitose) and the 6th Air Wing (Komatsu), eight F-15s from the 9th Air Wing (Naha), and four F-2s from the 8th Air Wing (Tsuiki) were dispatched to conduct navigation, formation and air defense training with them.

Through these training activities, the JASDF improved Japan-U.S. bilateral response capabilities and the tactical skills of its personnel.