Operational Capabilities Observation during Yama Sakura 91

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Matthew W. McFarlane, commanding general of I Corps, left, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Lt. Gen. Seiji Toriumi, commanding general of Western Army, center left, U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson, commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force, center right, and JGSDF Gen. Masayoshi Arai, Chief of Staff for the JGSDF, observe bilateral operational capabilities during Exercise Yama Sakura 91 at JGSDF Camp Kengun, Kumamoto, Japan, Sept. 6, 2026

260906-M-BH827-1419.JPG Photo By: Staff Sgt. Jackson Ricker

Sep 10, 2026

KUMAMOTO, Japan - U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Matthew W. McFarlane, commanding general of I Corps, left, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Lt. Gen. Seiji Toriumi, commanding general of Western Army, center left, U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson, commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force, center right, and JGSDF Gen. Masayoshi Arai, Chief of Staff for the JGSDF, observe bilateral operational capabilities during Exercise Yama Sakura 91 at JGSDF Camp Kengun, Kumamoto, Japan, Sept. 6, 2026. As a part of U.S. Army Pacific Operation Pathways, Yama Sakura 91 is the largest and most complex forward U.S. Army, Marine Corps. Australian and Japan Command Post exercise to date. Participants from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force train together with Soldiers of the U.S. Army I Corps, 11th Airborne Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, U.S. Army Japan, U.S. Army Reserve and Army National Guard in a Joint environment. The goal of the exercise is to strengthen multi-domain and cross-domain interoperability and readiness between the U.S.-Japan alliance to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Jackson Ricker) (This photo has been altered for security purposes.)

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