TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan and the United States started a joint naval drill in the Western Pacific on Sunday involving two Japanese destroyers and the U.S. aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, which is headed for waters off the Korean Peninsula, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force said.
The Japanese vessels and the Carl Vinson carrier strike group are conducting strategic maneuver and communication drills for a few days. The exercises come at a time when North Korea is continuing to aggressively pursue the development of ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.
The joint drill is "designed to improve combined maritime response and defense capabilities, increase combined maneuvering proficiency and ensure maritime forces remain ready to defend the region when called upon," according to a posting on the Carl Vinson's Facebook page.
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