TOKYO: A joint US-Japan military exercise with firing training kicked off on Sunday in the Kumamoto prefecture in the Kyushu island, Japanese media reported.

According to NHK, the manoeuvres, which are taking place in the town of Yamato, will last until September 9 and include about 1,400 Japanese self-defence servicemen as well as roughly 700 US soldiers.

Reporters were shown firing training with 150 participants from both countries. During the exercise soldiers were practising hitting a target that is approximately 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet) away with the US Javelin anti-tank weapon system.

This is the first time Javelins are used during a military drill in Japan.

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