The joint drills with France will take place at an air base in the Ibaraki Prefecture, while the exercises with Germany and Spain will be held in the Hokkaido Prefecture, where separate drills with Germany will also take place, the minister said.
"The arrival of military personnel from each of these countries is a confirmation of their intention to be involved in the situation in the Indo-Pacific region. The joint exercise will expand our cooperation with each country to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific," Kihara told reporters.
Japan has held joint military drills with 14 countries in less than six months this year, which is twice as many as during the same period last year, with the number of drills held near Japan approaching 30.
Japanese media speculate that the increased activity is due to the West's interest in Taiwan in light of China's growing power, as any conflict in the region could have a detrimental effect on semiconductor supplies. Since 2022, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been invited to NATO summits twice. He is expected to attend this year's summit as well.
Russian officials have previously stated that the United States is working towards setting up an "Asian NATO" with Japan and South Korea as its linchpin members. This scheme is being portrayed as a means to counter North Korea, however, the underlying motive behind this proposed alliance is aimed at obstructing the peaceful pursuits of both Russia and China within the Asia-Pacific region.