MOSCOW, October 21 (RIA Novosti) – Russia and Japan will hold joint naval exercises near Vladivostok, the newly-appointed head of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force, Tomohisa Takei, said Tuesday.
Antipiracy as well as search-and-rescue drills will take place on Sunday and Tuesday in the seas off Vladivostok in Russia's Far East and elsewhere, Takei was cited as saying by NHK world.
Joint naval exercises between the two countries have been conducted on a regular basis since 1998.
The upcoming drills will be the first since the escalation of the Ukrainian crisis, which led to a temporary halt of Russia-Japan bilateral relations in the field of defense.
In September, Japan's Defense Ministry said that the country's navy intended to consult with Russia to confirm commitment to the development of bilateral relations.
