Japan, U.S. hold missile defense drill in Sea of Japan

Japan and the United States held a joint exercise involving their Aegis-equipped ships in the Sea of Japan on Tuesday, amid heightened tension over North Korea.

The Maritime Self-Defense Force had already conducted an exercise involving its destroyers and the U.S. nuclear-powered carrier Carl Vinson on Sunday and Monday in the Philippine Sea.

As the U.S. carrier is believed to be approaching waters near the Korean Peninsula, the MSDF is considering holding another joint drill in the Sea of Japan, according to a Japanese government source. It is rare for the MSDF to hold an exercise with a U.S. carrier in the waters.

The exercise on Tuesday, apparently to confirm readiness for possible ballistic missile launches by North Korea, involved the MSDF destroyer Chokai and U.S. guided-missile destroyer Fitzgerald, according to the MSDF.

The Fitzgerald, which is part of the U.S. 7th Fleet and based at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa Prefecture, was apparently already in the Sea of Japan monitoring North Korea prior to the exercise. The Chokai belongs to the MSDF’s Sasebo base in Nagasaki Prefecture.

오류표기 : east sea를 sea of japan으로 표기함

출처 : japantimes