Japan, U.S. conduct joint drill involving aircraft carrier

TOKYO, Oct 8 (Reuters) – Japan and america are conducting a joint navy drill involving U.S. plane service Ronald Reagan in areas round Japan in mild of North Korea’s continued missile launches, Japan’s Protection Ministry mentioned on Saturday.

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the ocean on Thursday within the route of Japan. The missile launch was the sixth in 12 days and the primary since Pyongyang fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan on Tuesday.

“Amid an more and more extreme safety atmosphere surrounding Japan, together with North Korea’s repeated ballistic missile launches, Japan Self-Protection Forces and U.S. Armed Forces have been conducting a bilateral train,” the ministry mentioned in an announcement.

The joint drill, wherein a Japanese destroyer is collaborating, has been underway since Oct. 1, the assertion mentioned. It didn’t say when it’s scheduled to finish.

The USA and South Korea carried out joint workouts this week.

North Korea’s defence ministry was “taking a stern have a look at the event of the present state of affairs, which could be very worrisome,” concerning the U.S.-South Korean drills, North Korea’s state media KCNA mentioned in an announcement on Saturday.

Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Enhancing by William Mallard

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