World War 3: USA, Japan and South Korea 'preparing for North Korea attack'
THE US, Japan and South Korean have begun a two-day training drill to prepare their militaries in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.
Shinzo Abe advisor: ‘We have to be prepared’ for war
The drill is being carried out between the allies near the border of the rogue state, in Japanese and South Korea waters.
A Security Consultative Meeting agreement last year has seen similar exercises carried out ever few months.
The move follows a warning from Japan that the threat posed by Kim Jong-un’s rogue state is “critical and imminent”.
Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera called for action from the United States and South Korea as he made the warning yesterday.
Mr Onodera’s cautious statement comes in contrasts to calmer words from his US counterpart General James Mattis.
The Japanese minister said: “(The) threat posed by North Korea has grown to the unprecedented, critical and imminent level.
(The) threat posed by North Korea has grown to the unprecedented, critical and imminent level
“Therefore, we have to take calibrated and different responses to meet with that level of threat.”
General Mattis and Onodera were joined by South Korean Defence Minister Song Young-moo at a meeting of defence chiefs in the Philippines.
Mr Song said: “North Korea’s provocative behaviour is becoming worse and worse.”
General Mattis said the continued tests from Pyongyang “threaten regional and global security.”
The countries committed to steeping up joint air drills at the talks.
A joint statement said: “The three ministers lauded collective efforts to expand information sharing on North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats and enhance response capabilities, including the execution of multiple combined flight training missions with US bomber aircraft.
“They reaffirmed that the three nations are committed to enhancing defence cooperation and to maintaining a rules-based order.
“Accordingly, the ministers pledged to take necessary steps to bolster their ability to improve information sharing and strengthen responses to North Korean threats.”