US aircraft carriers, Japanese navy conduct joint drill amid North Korea tensions
US, Japan conduct naval exercise
The annual drill is designed to increase the defensive readiness and interoperability of Japanese and American forces
Just three days after three US aircraft carriers carried out a drill with the South Korean forces, Japan and the United States launched another joint naval excercise in southern Japan amid tensions with North Korea.
The annual drill is designed to increase the defensive readiness and interoperability of Japanese and American forces through training in air and sea operations," the US navy statement said, adding, "The exercise follows more than a week of scenario-based training ashore."
Three US aircraft carriers - USS Nimitz, the Ronald Reagan, the Theodore Roosevelt - had carried out joint exercise off the east coast of South Korea on Sunday, the South Korea military conducted the exercise with seven vessels including three destroyers.
In one of the biggest naval exercises in recent times, the US-Japan drill will involve 14,000 US servicemen, aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan including missile destroyers USS Stethem, USS Chafee and USS Mustin.
The US has been conducting joint excercises with South Korea and Japan for the past several months. In April, the US and South Korean forces had conducted "Foal Eagle" drill which involved around 20,000 South Korean and 10,000 US troops, just after concluding another excercise called "Key Resolve".
The joint naval drill between US and South Korea in April involved the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson with North Korean state media threatening to attack the Vinson.
Pyongyang has been defiant even as the US has conducted major drills in the past few weeks with reports of another nuclear test likely to be conducted by the South Korean neighbour.