United States and Japan have begun their biggest ever joint military exercises

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Military News - United States / Japan
 

Friday , 3 December 2010, 09:32 AM

 
United States and Japan have begun their biggest ever joint military exercises.
 
 
Japan and the United States have begun their biggest ever joint military exercises, amid growing tension in the region between North and South Korea. More than 44,000 Japanese and American military personnel are taking part in the drill off Japan's southern islands.
     
Japan and the United States have begun their biggest ever joint military exercises, amid growing tension in the region between North and South Korea. More than 44,000 Japanese and American military personnel are taking part in the drill off Japan's southern islands.   USS George Washington aircraft carrier is one of the vessels taking part to this military exercises
USS George Washington aircraft carrier is one of the vessels taking part to this military exercises
     
Forty Japanese and 20 US warships are also involved, as are hundreds of military aircraft. The exercises come 10 days after North Korea shelled a South Korean island, killing four people.
The joint military exercises - codenamed "Keen Sword" - are being held to mark the 50th anniversary of the US-Japan alliance. The US-Japan exercises will continue until 10 December.

They are intended to be a show of solidarity between the Pacific allies at a time of heightened tension in the region, says the BBC's Roland Buerk in Tokyo. The drills were planned well before North Korea shelled the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong last month, killing two marines and two civilians.

About 50,000 US soldiers are stationed in Japan.