May 18, 2017

"JS Izumo, Japan's aircraft carrier-like destroyer, sailed parallel to the Richard E. Byrd, a U.S. Navy supply ship off the Boso Peninsula, Chiba Prefecture, on May 1, marking the first time that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces were in position to use weapons to protect American naval vessels.

The JS Sazanami destroyer was also on hand as the ships exercised off the island of Shikoku for three days.

The Japanese Defense Ministry announced the operation as a 'joint drill,' without disclosing the Maritime Self-Defense Force's mission to guard the U.S. ship. By taking part in the drill, Japan stepped into a new role in which it will fill in should the U.S. military find itself short-handed. It also testifies to the two countries' militaries increasing their reliance on each other."

Read more:

http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Policy-Politics/Japan-on-same-security-page-with-US-but-not-South-Korea 

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