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Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., Secretary of National Defense of the Philippines, and Shinjiro Koizumi, Minister of Defense of Japan, pose for a group photo with U.S. Marines assigned to 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Soldiers with 7th Infantry Division, Multi-Domain Command - Pacific, Philippine marines with 4th Marine Brigade, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force soldiers with 1st Artillery Brigade, an Australian soldier with 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and other civilian attendees following a joint task force maritime strike event during Exercise Balikatan 2026 at Paoay Sand Dunes, Philippines, May 6, 2026. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military that represents the strength of our alliance, improves our capable combined force, and demonstrates our commitment to regional peace and prosperity. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jonathan Beauchamp)