Lt. Gens. Isobe and Lanza Prepare for Bilateral US/Japanese Exercise

By Staff Sgt. Adam KeithSeptember 16, 2014

Lt. Gens. Isobe and Lanza Prepare for Bilateral US/Japanese Exercise
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Lt. Gen. Koichi Isobe, the Eastern Army Commander of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force, and Lt. Gen. Stephen Lanza, the commander of I Corps, make their way to a commanders briefing on JBLM, Wash., Sept. 4, 2014. (Photo by Capt. Peter Mrvos, 19t... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Lt. Gens. Isobe and Lanza prepare for Bilateral US/Japanese Exercise
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Lt. Gen. Koichi Isobe, the Eastern Army Commander of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force, and Lt. Gen. Stephen Lanza, the commander of I Corps, attend a wreath laying ceremony the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the JBLM Cemetery on Sept. 4, 2014. ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Lt. Gen. Koichi Isobe, the Eastern Army Commander of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force, visited JBLM on Sept. 4 in preparation for a joint training exercise at Yakima Training Center.

While on JBLM, Isobe met with Lt. Gen. Stephen Lanza, the commander of the U.S. Army's I Corps, received a brief regarding upcoming joint exercises, and attended a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the JBLM Cemetery.

From JBLM, Isobe will travel to Yakima Training Center in central Washington to observe his soldiers during operation Rising Thunder, an annual bilateral-exercise between I Corps and the JGSDF.

"We would like to improve our combat skills and interoperability, and Yakima is a perfect training center for that," said Isobe. "I instructed [my soldiers] to focus on realistic training and to keep high discipline during the exercise."

Maj. Gen. James C. Boozer Sr., the commander of U.S. Army Japan and I Corps (Forward) said exercises like Rising Thunder are important because they allow U.S. and Japanese forces to work together and strengthen the partnership between the two countries.

"We learn to train together, operate together, and exercise together, so if we actually have to go fight together we [meet] those interoperability requirements," he said. "I think both the Japanese and American soldiers participating in Rising Thunder will walk away with a better appreciation for each other's capabilities and capacities."

Isobe said his soldiers are going to use Rising Thunder to prepare for Yama Sakura, an annual, bilateral-exercise with the JGSDF and I Corps that is scheduled to take place in Japan this December.

"We would like to deepen the personal relationship with Lt. Gen. Lanza, Maj. Gen. Boozer, their staff and subordinate commanders," he added while noting the importance of the partnership between the two armies.

Boozer said a greater understanding is important to building partnerships and relationships with the JGSDF as the U. S. continues to invest in the Pacific Region.

"The military partnership we have between the U.S. Army and the JGSDF is really second to none," he said. "We have relationships at every level, from the [enlisted] soldier all the way up to general officers."

Isobe said the relationship between the U.S. Army and the JGSDF has grown as the Asia Pacific region continues to offers many challenges and opportunities for the two countries to work closely with one another.