American aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson started joint drills with two Japanese destroyers in the western Pacific Ocean on Sunday, authorities said.
The Ashigara and Samidare destroyers will take part in «tactical training» drills with the US carrier near the Philippines, the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force said.
In the face of recent saber-rattling from North Korea, US President Donald Trump had said the USS Carl Vinson carrier group was being deployed to waters off the Korean peninsula
The location of the USS Carl Vinson has dominated headlines after Trump’s remark on April 12.
Trump said he was sending «an armada» to Korean waters potentially to deal with threats from North Korea. The statement came after Pyongyang said it had successfully launched a new ballistic missile.
