Description
Joint military exercises (JMEs), many involving Japan, the United States, its Euro-Atlantic allies and partners, are proliferating in the contested Indo-Pacific as a theatre of strategic competition. Multiple configurations are manifesting, from bilateral exercises between cross-regional partners (UK-Japan Ex Vigilant Isles; Germany-Japan Ex Nippon Skies), expanding of bilateral exercises to foster cross-regional participation (eg France-Japan Ex ARC21 plus US and Australia), to cross-regional multilateral exercises that are ad hoc (Ex Pacific Crown with UK CSG21, Japan, US, Canada) or institutionalised (Australia-led Ex Pitch Black involving US, Japan, UK, France and Germany). This paper reflects upon Japan’s instrumentalisation of JMEs as a strategic tool to encourage and embed cross-regional defence cooperation between US partners and allies from the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific. It considers firstly issues of agency, symmetry and initiative in managing cross-regional defence cooperation. Second, it highlights how Japan has tackled the logistical, legal, political, operational practicalities involved in organizing for successful cross-regional JMEs. Finally, it addresses the need to properly understand and manage the politico-strategic nuances involved in partnership engagement dynamics.
