US Military Conducts Exercise Despite Japanese Protests

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, November 14, 2002

US Military Conducts Exercise Despite Japanese Protests

The US military carried out an exercise involving underwater explosions on Thursday in a fishing area in the Sea of Japan despite Japanese protests, Japan's Kyodo News reported.

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The US military carried out an exercise involving underwater explosions on Thursday in a fishing area in the Sea of Japan despite Japanese protests, Japan's Kyodo News reported.

The US will continue the exercise Friday and thereafter, Kyodo said, quoting US navy officials.

The exercise began as Japanese authorities have been asking the US military to cancel the exercise, it said.

The military drill involving underwater explosions apparently took place on the high seas west of Oki islands, located 50 to 80 kilometers off Shimane Prefecture, in an area crowded with fishingboats hunting for queen crabs and squid.

Japan's Fisheries Agency and the Shimane and Tottori prefectural governments asked the US forces on Wednesday to halt the drill.

Yamaguchi Prefecture on Thursday also asked Fishery agency to seek a halt of the drill, while Tottori Prefecture lodged a written complaint to the agency over not being informed about the drill until the last minute.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry said it has also urged cancellation of the exercise.

A rectangular area stretching 124 km by 148 km has been designated as the exercise zone, with part of it in Japan's exclusive economic zone for protection of fishing resources.

November is the peak season for fishing for queen crabs and squid and about 670 fishing boats from Shimane, Yamaguchi, Tottoriand Hyogo prefectures have been licensed to operate in the area.

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