Japan MSDF submarine joins drills in South China Sea for 1st time

A Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine joined a drill last week in the South China Sea for the first time, the MSDF said Monday, signaling Tokyo's intention to keep China's muscle-flexing in the area in check and prompting an immediate rebuke from Beijing.In a rare announcement, the MSDF said the submarine Kuroshio, along with the helicopter carrier Kaga and two destroyers, the Inazuma and Suzutsuki, conducted an antisubmarine warfare exercise in the sea last Thursday.The submarine left an MSDF base in western Japan's Kure on Aug. 27 for the drill.Usually, the MSDF keeps the activ…READ FULL ARTICLE