TOKYO, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Two Japanese fighter jets and two U.S. bombers conducted a joint exercise off the Korean Peninsula on Sunday, Japanese Defense Minister Fumio Kishida said.
The joint drill, by two F-2 fighters of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and two B-1 bombers of the U.S. Air Force, was "part of the concrete action agreed by Japanese and U.S. leaders at their summit meeting on May 26," said Kishida.
He also said that the drill was conducted under "the severe security situation including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's latest missile launch," and aimed to further strengthen deterrence and coping capability of the Japan-U.S. alliance and show Japan's will and capacity to stabilize the region.
Kishida doubles as defense and foreign minister after Tomomi Inada announced her resignation on Friday over a coverup scandal.
