Japan, US conduct joint drill near Okinawa

TOKYO – A total of five Japanese and U.S. F-15 fighter jets conducted a joint training exercise near Okinawa Prefecture last week, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

Three aircraft from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and two from the U.S. Air Force participated in the drill held Aug. 4.

The ministry confirmed that on the same day last week five ballistic missiles launched by China fell within Japan’s exclusive economic zone to the south of the prefecture’s Yonaguni Island as Beijing conducted military drills around Taiwan.