Ships of the Japanese and NATO navies held joint exercises on Monday for the first time in four years. They took place in the Mediterranean Sea, a more specific area is not specified, Asahi newspaper reported, citing the military command.

The exercise was attended by two Japanese military training ships and one frigate each from the Italian and Turkish navies.

Japan's Ministry of Defense, the paper notes, is determined to intensify practical cooperation with NATO, including more regular joint exercises. Tokyo, according to these data, is also counting on a broader NATO presence in the Asia-Pacific region.