Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Maj. Gen. Takanori Hirata, commanding general of the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB), and U.S. Marine Corps Col. Charles Readinger, chief-of-staff for the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), stand at attention with Australian Defence Force observers from 1st Division, U.S. Army representatives of the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade, and other members of the ARDB and 3rd MEB as the national anthems of participating countries are played at the opening ceremony of exercise Yama Sakura 81 aboard Camp Ainoura, Nagasaki, Japan, Dec. 5, 2021. Yama Sakura 81 is the largest U.S.-Japan bilateral and joint command post exercise which enables participants to work as dedicated partners in support of the Japan-U.S. security alliance and for continued peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.