The 6th Air Wing of Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s F-15 fighters hold a joint military drill with the U.S. B-52 bombers over Sea of Japan, in this handout picture taken by Japan Air Self-Defence Force on Dec. 10, 2025. Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan/Reuters
Japan and the United States carried out a joint military exercise over the Sea of Japan on Dec. 10, underscoring their alliance, Japan’s Ministry of Defense said on Dec. 11.
The drill, which involved advanced fighter jets from Japan and long-range bombers from the United States, came days after Tokyo accused Chinese military aircraft of targeting Japanese jets with radar. It also followed a joint patrol near Japan by Chinese and Russian strategic bombers earlier this week. The exercise preceded defense talks between Tokyo and Washington.
