The Japanese and US militaries have teamed up for a three-day exercise in the Sea of Japan, in a show of force just days after North Korea launched a ballistic missile which landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
The ‘USS Carl Vinson’ and ‘USS Ronald Reagan’ strike groups have joined Japanese destroyers ‘Hyuga’ and ‘Ashigara’ for the exercise.
In a post on its Facebook page, the US 7th Fleet described the drills as “routine training.”
“The Ronald Reagan and Carl Vinson Strike Groups were joined by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces (JMSDF) for routine training to improve interoperability and readiness in the Indo-Asia Pacific, ” it wrote.
The Japanese military confirmed in a release that its destroyers had joined the US vessels, according to Reuters.
“It’s the first time we have exercised with two carriers. It’s a major exercise for us, ” a Japanese military spokesman said, according to the news outlet.
Meanwhile, Japanese Air Self-Defense Force F-15s are taking part in simulated combat with US Navy F-18 fighters at the same time, according to the Japanese military.
The drills follow separate naval exercises conducted in the same waters last month, with the ‘USS Carl Vinson’ and South Korean and Japanese aircraft taking part.
The most recent exercise comes just three days after North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile which landed in the Sea of Japan, about 300km (186 miles) off the Japanese coast and in Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) .
