Iron Fist 2018 Ramps Up Training as Japan Readies 1st Amphibious Unit

USNI News ^ | January 15, 2018 | Gidget Fuentes

[C19fan]

With its official operational date fast approaching, Japan’s first Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade kicked off the bilateral Iron Fist 2018 exercise on Friday with an opening ceremony alongside its Marine Corps hosts. It wasn’t a time for long speeches.

Over the next month, 350 soldiers with the Japan Ground Self Defense Force will train closely with Marines to hone skills that will run the gamut from amphibious reconnaissance and fire-and-maneuver assaults to close-air support and staff planning. They will fire mortars and artillery, land on beaches aboard rubber boats and assault craft and attack and defend “friendly” land from foes in various training scenarios.

[C19fan]

Taking the fight to ChinaGodzilla. The Chinese have claimed islands that are currently part of Japan. So these islands Japan needs marine units.

[OKSooner]

Captain Obvious wants me to observe for him that Japan is taking another step in offensive military capabilities.

[Captain Rhino]

I wonder if they will revive the designations “naval infantry” and “special naval landing force.” These were terms associated with the Imperial Japanese Navy’s “Marines.” As a point of reference, Japanese Marines (about 2400 of them) were the defending force at Tarawa.

Probably not; too strong a reference to WWII.

[yawningotter]

The traditional Japanese martial spirit combined with modern combat techniques should result in a formidable fighting force.

[SoCal Pubbie]

In 1274 and 1281 the Chinese, under the Mongol rule of Kublai Khan, claimed the Japanese home islands too. The typhoons which wrecked the invasion fleets became known as Kamikaze, or “Divine Wind.”

[Bonemaker]

Japanese Imperial Marines. Tougher than shit. I have a cousin who was on a PT boat and saw dead ones lined up on beach. 6 footers.