U.S., Japan, Italy air forces train together to boost defense capabilities in Indo-Pacific region

Aug. 7 (UPI) -- As China and North Korea make strategic advances in the Indo-Pacific region, Japan and Italy are increasing their military cooperation to improve their defensive capabilities.

Japan and Italy are in day two of a three-day joint exercise called Rising Sun 24 that is designed to improve defensive capabilities as China and North Korea raise their tactical profiles in the area.

Counting deployment and withdrawal days, the joint Japan Self-Defense Force and Italian Air Force air exercises are scheduled from Sunday through Friday at the Misawa Air Base in northeastern Japan and surrounding air space with the aim of improving defensive capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region.

Rising Sun 24's purpose is to "enhance the tactical skills of JASDF and promote mutual understanding and further deepen defense cooperation to realize a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific.'"

The Indian Ocean and the central and western Pacific Ocean comprise the Indo-Pacific region, while the Misawa Air Base is located west of the border separating China and North Korea.

The joint exercise includes four F-35A fighters from Japan and four more from Italy, plus four Eurofighters.

The exercise also includes two KC-767 refueling aircraft, a CAEW early-warning aircraft and a C-130J transport aircraft.

U.S. Air Force aircraft located at Misawa Air Base also are slated to participate in the military exercise, along with three additional KC-767 tankers for deployment support.

The Rising Sun 24 exercises are occurring three weeks after a similar joint exercise was held in Australia three weeks ago.

That exercise was called Pitch Black 24 and involved the Italian Navy and Air Force with Australian military assets.

Italian military officials said the Rising Sun 24 exercise demonstrates a "longstanding strong relationship between Italy and Japan" that "now includes a military dimension."

Japan and Italy have been strategic partners since 2022 and are working with the United Kingdom to develop a sixth-generation fighter.

Japan and Italy's military-training cooperation in the region comes atop other recent alliances designed to counter China's influence.

Earlier this year, the United States and Japan announced wide-ranging steps to deepen and modernize their military alliance amid the growing threats in the Indo-Pacific from China, as well as North Korea and Russia.

The steps announced included the reconstitution of U.S. Forces Japan as a joint force headquarters that would report directly to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

According to a statement from the Pentagon at the time, doing so would enhance USFJ's capabilities and operational cooperation as it assumes primary responsibility for coordinating security activities in and around the Asian nation.