MANILA, Philippines—At least 5,000 personnel from the Philippines, the United States, and Japan will participate in this year’s Salaknib (Shield) exercise, Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete said at a press briefing on Monday.
For the first time, around 300 troops from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force will participate in the Salaknib exercises, expanding what has traditionally been a bilateral training between the Philippine Army and the US Army Pacific.
This will be Japan’s first official engagement since the Reciprocal Access Agreement entered into force in September 2025.
