Self-Defense Forces personnel on Monday carried out their first joint exercise with the U.S. military to simulate new duties allowed under security legislation that took effect earlier this year.

The exercise began near a small island off the east coast of Okinawa Island based on a scenario in which the SDF comes to the rescue of crew members of a downed U.S. military plane in the sea during an outbreak of fighting abroad that has a significant impact on Japan's peace and security.

SDF personnel were previously allowed to rescue U.S. soldiers in areas surrounding Japan under certain specific contingencies, but the new security legislation enables the SDF to work with the U.S. military in a wider area of the globe under a wider set of circumstances.