TOKYO — The United States carried out a military exercise involving underwater explosions on Thursday in the Sea of Japan off Shimane Prefecture despite Japanese protests, a U.S. Navy official said.
The official said that the exercise was conducted while taking safety concerns into consideration. The U.S. will continue the exercise Friday and thereafter, the official added.
The exercise began as Japanese authorities have been asking the U.S. military to cancel the exercise.
The military drill involving underwater explosions apparently took place on the high seas west of Oki islands, located 50 to 80 kilometers off Shimane Prefecture, western Japan, in an area crowded with fishing boats hunting for queen crabs and squid.
The Fisheries Agency and the Shimane and Tottori prefectural governments asked the U.S. forces on Wednesday to halt the drill.
The Foreign Ministry said it has also urged cancellation of the exercise.
The ministry, the Japan Coast Guard, and the agency said earlier that the drill was initially scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The official said that the exercise was conducted while taking safety concerns into consideration. The U.S. will continue the exercise Friday and thereafter, the official added.
The exercise began as Japanese authorities have been asking the U.S. military to cancel the exercise.
The military drill involving underwater explosions apparently took place on the high seas west of Oki islands, located 50 to 80 kilometers off Shimane Prefecture, western Japan, in an area crowded with fishing boats hunting for queen crabs and squid.
The Fisheries Agency and the Shimane and Tottori prefectural governments asked the U.S. forces on Wednesday to halt the drill.
The Foreign Ministry said it has also urged cancellation of the exercise.
The ministry, the Japan Coast Guard, and the agency said earlier that the drill was initially scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.