Japan and the United States conducted joint military exercises in the airspace over the Sea of Japan after North Korea launched a missile on Friday, according to a statement of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Tokyo.
The announcement came after Tokyo said it was believed that a ballistic missile fell into the waters within the pure economic zone of Japan, west of Hokkaido.
The pure economic zone extends over 200 nautical miles from the coast of Japan, exceeding the borders of its territorial waters.
“The Japanese Self -Defense Forces and the American Armed Forces conducted bilateral military exercises, in light of a security climate that is getting more intense in the vicinity of Japan, after the operation to launch the intercontinental ballistic missile carried out by North Korea.
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He added that bilateral military exercises emphasize the strong desire of Japan and the United to respond to any situation.
He continued that the exercise enhances the most deterrent and response capabilities of the Japanese-American alliance.
About 55,000 members of the US military forces in Japan are currently stationed, most of them in the Okinawa (south) area with air bases in the outskirts of Tokyo and the Umouri region..
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