Japan’s defence ministry was not immediately available to respond to Reuters’ request for confirmation. The joint exercises aim to counter China, which claims Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea, the paper said. “This is a message aimed at China. This is a message about multi-lateral partnerships and the freedom of passage.”China has said its intentions in the region are peaceful. But Japan has grown particularly concerned about a rise in Chinese naval activity around the disputed islands in the East China Sea that Tokyo calls the Senkaku, while Beijing refers to them the Diaoyu.

Source: bd News24 December 06, 2020 05:48 UTC