A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force soldier participates in a simulated combined company attack with U.S. Marines assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb. 9, 2014, during exercise Iron Fist 2014. Iron Fist is a three-week bilateral training event held annually between the U.S. Marine Corps and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force designed to increase interoperability between the two services while aiding the Japanese in their continued development of amphibious capabilities.