Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi has hinted that the Self-Defense Forces and U.S. military might conduct joint drills around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture in the future.
At a press conference on Friday, Kishi did not rule out the possibility of holding joint exercises in waters off the Senkakus, saying, "We would like to conduct effective training in the future."
The Japanese and U.S. governments have avoided conducting joint exercises around the islands, citing "the risk of heightening tensions with China," according to a senior government official.
However, there have been repeated incursions into Japanese territorial waters by China Coast Guard vessels.
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