Newsfrom Japan
Politics
Nov 19, 2025 01:12 (JST)
Tokyo, Nov. 18 (Jiji Press)–South Korea has informed Japan of its intention not to conduct a planned joint search-and-rescue drill this month, sources in Japan’s government and ruling coalition said Tuesday.
The drill had been arranged between Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force and the South Korean navy. Some say the South Korean move may be apparent retaliation for the Japanese side’s recent cancelation of refueling for aircraft from the South Korean air force.
Concern is rising that defense exchanges between Tokyo and Seoul may be stalled again.
Joint exercises between Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the South Korean military were completely halted in the wake of an incident in December 2018 in which a South Korean warship directed a fire-control radar at an MSDF patrol aircraft over the Sea of Japan.
In November 2024, a joint drill was conducted for the first time in about seven years, following an improvement in bilateral relations thanks to efforts led by former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
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