CAMP ITAMI, Japan – The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), 1st (Australian) Division (1 (AS) Div), and U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) will conduct exercise Yama Sakura 89 (YS89), Aug. 25-31 primarily at Camp Itami, Hyogo Prefecture, and Camp Asaka, Tokyo.

Exercise YS89, first held in 1982, is an annual part of USARPAC’s Operation Pathways and the largest combined and trilateral command post exercise (CPX) co-sponsored by USARPAC and the JGSDF.

“This exercise is not just about military readiness,” U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees said. “It is about building trust, fostering mutual understanding, and enhancing interoperability across human, procedural, and technical domains.”

Participants include USARPAC, JGSDF, Ground Component Command (GCC), I Corps, Middle Army, 1 (AS) Div, 25th Infantry Division and U.S. Army Japan.

The exercise focuses on the development and refinement of the JGSDF, 1 (AS) Div, and USARPAC’s trilateral planning, coordination and interoperability efforts. For more than 40 years, it has demonstrated dedicated allies in support of the U.S.-Japan-Australian security treaty and continued peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

“These partnerships are not built overnight; they are forged through years of collaboration, mutual respect, and a shared vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” said Bartholomees.

The U.S.-Japan-Australian alliance is a cornerstone of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region. YS89 demonstrates the shared commitment to maintaining a stable and prosperous environment for all nations in the region.