Japan and the United States are planning their first large-scale joint drill to evacuate civilians, simulating a scenario in which noncombatants are rescued from an overseas conflict zone, government sources said Saturday.
The drill, termed a Noncombatant Evacuate Operation (NEO), will be part of joint exercises involving Japan's Self-Defense Forces and U.S. military forces in Japan in November. Transport aircraft, helicopters and troops will be used during the drill, according to the sources.
The operation is one of the areas of collaboration between Japanese and U.S. forces during contingencies in "areas surrounding Japan" -- a concept incorporated into the bilateral defense cooperation guidelines in its 1997 revision.