NORTH KOREAN ROCKETS - SAREX - JAPAN DROPS OVERSEAS COMBAT BAN

Japan, South Korea, U.S. begin search and rescue exercise Kyodo Jul 22, 2014 SEOUL – South Korea, the United States and Japan held two days of search and rescue drills south of the southern island of Jeju on Monday, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said. The exercise, known as SAREX, has been held once or twice a year.  Source - Japan Times - here.

Japan Times article also said that North Korea has been firing rockets and missiles into the sea, raising tensions in the area.

Finally, the article mentions abduction of Japanese citizens.

Current news story on the subject elsewhere:

Pyongyang abductee probe stirs speculation of early Japan poll Tue Jul 15, 2014 By Linda Sieg TOKYO (Reuters) - As Japan presses North Korea for information on the fate of Japanese citizens abducted decades ago, speculation is simmering that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe could use a possible breakthrough on the emotive issue to call a snap election. History shows that securing the release of Japanese nationals kidnapped by North Korea decades ago can deliver a hefty, if shortlived, boost to a premier's popularity. North Korea agreed in May to reopen an investigation into the fate of missing Japanese, including those snatched by its agents to train spies in the 1970s and 1980s, in return for Japan easing some economic sanctions on the reclusive state. [...] Support for his cabinet has slipped below 50 percent in several surveys since his July 1 decision to drop a ban that has kept the military from fighting abroad since Japan's defeat in World War Two. [...] SOURCE - Reuters Canada - here.

"SAREX is a search and rescue military exercise of the US military forces with other nations" - [pics here].

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COMMENT

Island of Jeju is island southwards of South Korea.

As a newbie, hard to say what the drills are for.

US, South Korea and Japan are probably working on the cooperation and skills building side of things; and maybe it's also a morale building exercise.

Imagine North Korea might be aware of the presence of the trio, so it could also be about making their presence known in the region.

Or it could just be drills.  LOL.

Funny how emotive issues help raise the stocks of politicians the world over.

What's disturbing is that Japan has DROPPED A BAN that has kept military from FIGHTING ABROAD.

That's big.

Wonder if there's anticipated conflict either in that region or in the South China Sea region.

Again, I've only just started watching this stuff, so I could be right off base speculating in that direction.