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English: Lieutenant generals Kazushige Izumi, commander Japan Ground Self Defense Force Eastern Army, and Benjamin R. Mixon, commander U.S. Army Pacific, greet each other, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008, at USARPC Operations Command Post before getting their morning brief on bilateral training exercise Yama Sakura 55. This year's exercise, which runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 14, marks the 27th year Japanese and American forces have tested their ability to work together and their capability to defend the Japanese islands. This also is the first time USARPAC has taken on the role of being the operational command post. Yama Sakura is an annual bilateral, computer-based command post exercise conducted by the United States and Japan. This year, more than 1,000 Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine personnel are here interacting with their counterparts from the Japan ground, air and maritime self defense forces. Yama Sakura is intended to improve combat readiness of both forces, while continuing to improve security relations between the two nations. Camp Asaka, 12 miles west of Tokyo, is headquarters for the JGSDF's Eastern Army, and it's the main defense-force hub for Tokyo and 10 surrounding prefectures. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry)