Super Typhoon Champi, the most powerful storm to develop globally in 2026, prompted commanders to modify portions of Keen Sword, a large-scale joint military exercise involving U.S. and Japanese forces across southern Japan. The Category 5-equivalent storm tracked west-northwest toward the region on October 21, 2026, with maximum sustained winds near 178 mph and gusts up to 218 mph, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. At noon that day, Champi lay approximately 600 miles southeast of Kadena Air Base. The exercise, which began on October 20 and was scheduled to run through October 29, involved roughly 56,000 personnel from the United States, Japan, and seven partner nations. Training activities included operations by the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and Marine Corps air-defense and antiship missile systems. Planned training areas on islands such as Miyako, Tanegashima, and others fell within the storm’s projected path. In response, exercise spokesperson Maj. Ephesian Poinsette confirmed daily adjustments to maintain safety while preserving core training objectives. “Safety remains our absolute priority,” he stated in written remarks. While some activities on Tanegashima continued on a reduced scale, the Japan Joint Staff reported only minor disruptions, including the cancellation of one unspecified drill on Okinawa. Two planned port visits by Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels were also called off: the destroyer JS Setogiri canceled a stop at Ishigaki Island, and the landing craft utility vessel JS Nihonbare called off a scheduled call at Yonaguni. Earlier, Champi had passed about 10 miles south of Guam on October 20, triggering widespread power outages and water service interruptions. By October 21, electricity had been restored to 99% of Guam’s grid, with fewer than 1% of residents still without power, according to the Pacific Daily News. No major structural damage or casualties were reported on the island. The typhoon’s trajectory and intensity remained subject to change, with further exercise modifications possible if the storm directly impacts training zones.