Japan, US holding ‘largest-ever’ joint military exercises

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – Japanese and US forces are holding “one of their largest-ever” joint exercises at camps and training grounds across Japan, state-run media said on Thursday.

About 3,000 armed soldiers from Japan and the US are participating in the drills that began on June 24, according to public broadcaster NHK.

The aim of the drills, which will run through July 9, is to show close coordination between the two countries amid "Beijing's increasing its activities in the East China Sea."

Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force head Gen. Yoshida Yoshihide and the commander of the US Army Japan, Brig. Gen. Joel Vowell, inspected the training.

To counter China's rising economic and military power, the US is leading a coalition in the Asia-Pacific region called the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, with Japan, Australia and India as members.