US and Japanese warships conducted joint naval exercises in waters between Japan and the Korean peninsula for the first time in five years amid growing tensions in the region.
The exercises, carried out on Tuesday and yesterday in the Sea of Japan, were led by the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and involved Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force. It was the first time such an exercise had been staged in the area since 2017 and is an apparent attempt to deter provocation by North Korea.
Defence experts have warned that Pyongyang may launch another missile or even conduct a nuclear test this week. North Korea celebrates the “Day of the Sun” tomorrow, marking the 110th birthday of Kim Il-sung, its founding leader and grandfather
