Philippines, Japan hold maritime drill post South China Sea ruling

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday conducted a joint maritime exercise with the Japan Coast Guard in the vicinity of Manila Bay, just one day after the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at The Hague ruled in favour of the Philippines over its South China Sea dispute with China.

China, Russia vow to boost military ties

Admiral Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of the Joint Staff Department of China's Central Military Commission, met with Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov here Friday and the two sides pledged to step up military cooperation.

Turkish exercise notice over Aegean Sea fuels tension with Greece

An aviation notice issued by Turkey for a 10-month military drill in the Aegean Sea has sparked reaction from the Greek government, which reportedly complained about the move to international organizations over a “violation of Greek integrity and flight safety.”

N.Korea threatens strike against US-S.Korea drill

North Korea warned Sunday of a possible "merciless" pre-emptive strike as it blasted an upcoming joint US-South Korean military exercise as a rehearsal for nuclear war.

South Korea vowed to go ahead from Monday with the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian drill, which is aimed at testing readiness to combat any North Korean invasion.

Although largely played out on computers, the exercise involves tens of thousands of South Korean and US troops.

No need for Japan to worry about drills near border (Russian FM)

MOSCOW, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Russia's ongoing military exercises in Far East are not a threat to any country, including Japan, Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
"We see no reason for the Japanese side to express concern," deputy director of the ministry's information and press department Maria Zakharova said in a statement.
"Russia can choose by itself where to hold the drills within its own territory, so we refute the protests of the Japanese Foreign Ministry," Interfax news agency quoted Zakharova as saying.

She stressed that the South Kuril Islands where the exercises have been held belongs to Russia in line with the results of World War II.

Japan protests Russia's military drills on disputed islands. (the Kuril Islands)

The Japanese government on Wednesday lodged a protest with Russia over its military drills on disputed islands off Hokkaido administered by Russia but claimed by Japan.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters Wednesday that the military drills on the island were unacceptable and the official complaint to Russia from the foreign ministry here was as per his instruction.

"The Northern Territories are an inherent part of Japan's territory, and we cannot accept the move," a foreign ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Japan’s surveillance of China maritime drills "a highly hazardous act of provocation". -China maintains the right to take further steps if similar incidents happen again.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun says Japan’s surveillance of China’s maritime drills is "a highly hazardous act of provocation."

A Japanese navy vessel forced its way into the drill zone in the open seas of the western Pacific Ocean last Friday morning. It stayed there for almost three days, disturbing the drill and jeopardizing the safe navigation of Chinese vessels. It also sustained intense monitoring and surveillance during the drill.