The Maritime and Air self-defense forces kicked off three days of military exercises with two U.S. aircraft carriers in the Sea of Japan on Thursday in a show of force after three missile tests in three weeks by North Korea.
The MSDF's Hyuga helicopter carrier, one of the larger warships in its fleet, and the destroyer Ashigara joined the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Carl Vinson and their escort ships for the exercises through Saturday, the MSDF said in a statement.
ASDF F-15s from the 6th Air Wing's Komatsu Air Base in Ishikawa Prefecture were simultaneously taking part in drills with U.S. Navy F-18 fighters. Those exercises were to wrap up Friday.