The Defense Ministry said Tuesday it decided to cancel a port call by a helicopter carrier in South Korea this spring as relations between the two countries have been strained over alleged provocative acts by each of their militaries.
Several Maritime Self-Defense Force ships including the Izumo carrier had been slated to call at Busan on their way to nearby waters where a multilateral exercise is to be held from April to May, around the time when defense ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its regional partners meet in the South Korean port city.
The Japanese ships will take part in the joint drill as planned, according to the ministry.