Exercise Yama Sakura 89 Flag Raising Highlights U.S., Japan, Australia Partnership

SLIDESHOW | 2 images | 250826-A-NT260-1005 Australian Army, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and U.S. service members prepare to raise their respective national flags during a ceremonial flag raising at Camp Itami, Japan, Aug. 26,2025. As a part of U.S. Army Pacific’s Operation Pathways, the 45th Iteration of Exercise Yama Sakura, YS89, is the third U.S., Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and Australian Army command post exercise based in Japan. Ground Staff Office (GSO), Training, Evaluation, Education, Research and Development Command (TERCOM), Ground Component Command (GCC) and Middle Army from the JGSDF, and 1st (Australia) Division train together with Soldiers of the U.S. Army I Corps, 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Army Japan and the 3rd Marine Division in a Joint environment to strengthen multi-domain and cross-domain interoperability and readiness to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Johanna Pullum)

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Australian Army, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and U.S. service members prepare to raise their respective national flags during a ceremonial flag raising at Camp Itami, Japan, Aug. 26,2025. As a part of U.S. Army Pacific’s Operation Pathways, the 45th Iteration of Exercise Yama Sakura, YS89, is the third U.S., Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and Australian Army command post exercise based in Japan. Ground Staff Office (GSO), Training, Evaluation, Education, Research and Development Command (TERCOM), Ground Component Command (GCC) and Middle Army from the JGSDF, and 1st (Australia) Division train together with Soldiers of the U.S. Army I Corps, 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Army Japan and the 3rd Marine Division in a Joint environment to strengthen multi-domain and cross-domain interoperability and readiness to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Johanna Pullum)

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Australian Army, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and U.S. Army service members salute the Allied Nation’s Flags during a ceremonial flag raising at Camp Itami, Japan, Aug. 26, 2025. As a part of U.S. Army Pacific’s Operation Pathways, the 45th Iteration of Exercise Yama Sakura, YS89, is the third U.S., Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and Australian Army command post exercise based in Japan. Ground Staff Office (GSO), Training, Evaluation, Education, Research and Development Command (TERCOM), Ground Component Command (GCC) and Middle Army from the JGSDF, and 1st (Australia) Division train together with Soldiers of the U.S. Army I Corps, 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Army Japan and the 3rd Marine Division in a Joint environment to strengthen multi-domain and cross-domain interoperability and readiness to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Johanna Pullum)

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“Each of the countries’ flags has historical, cultural and political significance,” U.S. Army 1st Lt. Richard Park, YS89 protocol officer, said. “Having all three of the nation’s flags raised at the same time was historically important, especially for the history of this exercise. It’s important to signify the unity between all three countries and it touches on the trilateral cooperation between the nations. That’s what Yama Sakura is all about.”

This year marks the 45th iteration of Yama Sakura and is the third trilateral command post exercise (CPX) based in Japan with U.S. Army, 1 AS Div, and JGSDF joint participation. This trilateral exercise allows for bolstering interoperability in rigorous but realistic scenarios. Exercise YS89 is an annual part of USARPAC’s Operation Pathways and the largest combined and trilateral CPX co-sponsored by USARPAC and the JGSDF.

“This exercise is not just about military readiness,” U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees, Commanding General of the 25th Infantry Division, said. “It is about building trust, fostering mutual understanding, and enhancing interoperability across human, procedural, and technical domains.”

Since its inception, Yama Sakura has focused on the development and refinement of combined force lethality between the U.S. Army and JGSDF. This year, units across the combined force continued that development, filling a bigger role in the exercise compared to previous years and expanding the role of Australian partners to strengthen multi-domain and cross-domain interoperability and readiness to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.