La Folgore salutes the Warriors of the Rising Sun

In recent days, the Chief of Staff of the Army, General of the Army Corps Carmine Masiello, met his Japanese counterpart, General Masayoshi Arai, Chief of Staff of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), as part of an official visit that involved some units of the Italian Army.

The two days of work took place in a climate of maximum collaboration, with an open and constructive dialogue on the main challenges that land forces face today: from the use of emerging technologies to the definition of new doctrines, to the evolution of future structures and operational capabilities, increasingly integrated and interconnected with those of the Allies.

Mangusta '25: Italian and Japanese paratroopers side by side

Among the most significant moments of the visit, the Japanese delegation attended the exercise “Mangusta 2025”, directed by the Comando Brigata Paracadutisti “Folgore”, which this year saw for the first time the participation of a platoon from the 1st Airborne Brigade of Japan.

The Japanese paratroopers operated side by side with the Italian paratroopers, the special forces, the assets of the Army Aviation and units from five Allied countries – France, Germany, Great Britain, Poland, and Spain – consolidating the ability to plan and conduct joint operations in multinational contexts.

The exercise confirmed how interoperability between forces represents a multiplier of effectiveness: together, the allied units are more ready, more flexible, and more effective in responding to crises.

Joint training and Italian parachuting certification

A central role was played by the activities of integration and pre-jump training conducted at the Parachuting Training Center, essential for illustrating and testing the procedures and materials used by Italian paratroopers:

• correct harnessing and parachute dressing;
• behavior inside the aircraft;
• exit procedures;
• management of the descent phase;
• safe landing techniques.

At the end of the training cycle, the Japanese paratroopers jumped from a military aircraft, thus obtaining the Italian parachuting certification and concretely sealing the professional closeness between the two Armies.

A growing path of cooperation

The visit of the Japanese delegation represents a further step in the path of cooperation between the Italian Army and the JGSDF, relaunched last January, with the shared goal of:

• strengthening the interoperability between land units;
• expanding the joint training programs;
• developing common projects in the field of technological innovation;
• promoting training initiatives and exchange of experiences between specialized units.

The joint commitment in exercises like Mangusta '25, combined with the regular exchange of knowledge and best practices, contributes to building more prepared and cohesive land forces, capable of operating together in any operational scenario.