Japan joins U.S., Dutch navies in drill led by U.K. carrier off Okinawa

A state-of-the-art F-35B stealth fighter takes off from HMS Queen Elizabeth, one of the British Royal Navy's aircraft carriers, in waters south of Okinawa Prefecture on Tuesday. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

The Self-Defense Forces have participated in a four-nation joint drill centered around the British Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group, the Defense Ministry announced Wednesday.

The drill, which also included the U.S. Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy, was carried out Tuesday in the waters and airspace south of Okinawa Prefecture and open to the media.

One of the aims of the drill was to display the allies' sea power as a way to check China, which has been increasing its activities in waters near Japan.

In one of the drills, Air Self-Defense Force F-15 fighters took flight with state-of-the-art F-35B stealth fighters that took off from HMS Queen Elizabeth, as well as with U.S. fighter jets.

Also, the Maritime Self-Defense Force's helicopter destroyer the Ise navigated in formation with vessels from the U.S. Navy and the Royal Navy. HMS Queen Elizabeth-based helicopters and the U.S. Marines' Osprey transport aircraft landed on and took off from the Ise during the drill.

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