TOKYO, October 24. /TASS/. Japan, South Korea and the US will hold two-day exercises to train detection of missile launches and tracking their flights, the Kyodo news agency reported referring to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The exercises are reportedly to start on Tuesday in the waters near the coast of South Korea and Japan. They will involve four ships, equipped with the Aegis tracking and guidance system.
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The Navy's forces of self-defense during the exercises will be represented by the Kirishima destroyer. Seoul will send one ship to participate in the maneuvers, two more will be provided by the US Navy.
The situation on the Korean peninsula has seriously worsened in recent months, especially after Pyongyang conducted two ballistic missile tests in July. Both the DPRK and the US qualify those missiles as intercontinental.
In late August and September, the DPRK launched two medium-range missiles that flew over the territory of Japan.
On September 3, Pyongyang announced the successful testing of the hydrogen warhead. After that the UN Security Council sharply tightened the regime of international sanctions against the DPRK.
Washington and Tokyo believe that in order to solve the North Korean problem, the world community should increase pressure on Pyongyang. The US and its allies in the region regularly conduct military drills. North Korea regards such actions as a threat to its security.