US and Japan hold joint flight drills as China ups military activity near Japan
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- U.S. strategic bombers and Japanese fighter jets conducted a joint military exercise near Japan's western airspace to demonstrate their military cooperation amid escalating tensions with China.
- The exercise followed recent provocations, including Chinese and Russian bombers flying near western Japan and Chinese military aircraft locking radar on Japanese jets, incidents that have worsened Tokyo-Beijing relations.
- Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and U.S. counterpart Pete Hegseth expressed serious concern over actions increasing regional tensions, emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
- The joint drills involved two U.S. B-52 bombers, three Japanese F-35 stealth fighters, and three F-15 jets, reaffirming the allies' resolve to
