The U.S. Air Force and Air Self-Defense Force conducted a joint exercise featuring American heavy bombers on Friday, in one of the first publicized bilateral military drills since U.S. President Donald Trump's landmark summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12.
The exercise involved two nuclear-capable U.S. B-52 bombers stationed on the island of Guam and six ASDF F-15 fighter jets based at the Komatsu Air Base in Ishikawa Prefecture, near the Sea of Japan, U.S. and Japanese forces said in separate statements.
"The drill was meant to enhance joint operations abilities and raise combat skills," the ASDF said in a statement late Friday.