Defense & Security

Japan Conducts Maritime Drills in Sea of Japan with U.S., South Korea

Courtesy of the Defense Ministry
From foreground: MSDF destroyer Maya, U.S. Navy destroyer John Finn, and South Korean Navy destroyer Yulgok Yi I conduct a joint drill Sunday in the Sea of Japan.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:38 JST, July 17, 2023

Three Aegis vessels from Japan, the United States and South Korea conducted a joint drill in the Sea of Japan on Sunday, the Defense Ministry has announced.

The drill was intended to demonstrate the three countries’ readiness to cooperate following North Korea’s launch on July 12 of an intercontinental ballistic missile that fell into the Sea of Japan.

According to the ministry, the drill involved the Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Maya, the U.S. Navy destroyer John Finn, and the South Korean Navy destroyer Yulgok Yi I. The three ships shared information and confirmed procedures to detect, track, and intercept missiles.