More than 17,000 soldiers, airmen and sailors are taking part in the 19-day exercises, including contingents from Australia, New Zealand, France and Canada. MANILA: Thousands of American and Philippine troops, joined for the first time by a significant contingent of Japanese forces, began annual military exercises on Monday (Apr 20) set against the backdrop of the Middle East war. The war games will feature live-fire exercises in the north of the country facing the Taiwan Strait, as well as a