The US and Japanese armies deployed dozens of warships and hundreds of aircraft for the naval air drills around Japan.

"The US Indo-Pacific Command and units of the Japan Self-Defense Force hold the Keen Sword 21 exercise at bases in Japan, Okinawa province and surrounding waters.

The exercises included dozens of warships, including the American carrier USS Ronald Reagan and the Japanese helicopter carrier JS Kaga, and hundreds of aircraft and 46,000 soldiers from the two countries.

"The security situation around Japan is getting more serious. This activity represents an opportunity to show the strength of the US-Japan alliance," said Joint Chiefs of Staff of Japan, Koji Yamazaki.

Keen Sword 21 is the first large-scale training exercise involving Japanese forces since Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga took office in September. In a phone call with US President Donald Trump on September 20, Prime Minister

The exercise took place in the context of US-China relations still strained over Covid-19, trade war, Hong Kong and Taiwan issues.

China - Japan relations also declined because of the sovereignty dispute over the Senkaku / Diaoyu island group.