Japan destroyers begin joint drill with US carrier group
People's Daily Online
(CNTV) 14:11, April 23, 2017
Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) kicked off a joint drill with American warships in the western Pacific Ocean on Sunday as a fleet led by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier heads to waters near the Korean Peninsula, The Japan Times reported.
Two Japanese destroyers, "Samidare" and "Ashigara," which departed from Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture on Friday, are scheduled to join the US carrier strike group for training on tactics and communications, Japan Times said, citing the country's defense ministry.
MSDF destroyers held joint drills with the USS Carl Vinson twice last month in the East China Sea, and the latest one came amid heightened tensions over the DPRK's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
The DPRK will celebrate the 85th anniversary of the Korean People's Army on Tuesday. In the past, Pyongyang has marked major anniversaries with missile launches or nuclear weapons launches.
Speaking in Australia on Saturday, US Vice President Mike Pence said the USS Carl Vinson would be in waters near the Korean Peninsula "before the end of this month."
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said the USS Carl Vinson was on its way to the region, but it was later revealed to be sailing in the opposite direction.
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