The US will step up its military presence in Australia with regular army and navy ­deployments as the allies move to integrate Japanese forces in joint training exercises to strengthen the nations’ interoperability in the face of Chinese threats. US Studies Centre research fellow Tom Corben said more joint training for longer ­periods would help Japanese forces move “from interoperability towards integration” with their US and Australian counterparts. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Japan’s Amphibious Rapid ­Deployment Brigade was out here a lot more often,” he said.