Japan plans joint show of force with U.S. carrier headed to Korean peninsula - sources

Sailors conduct flight operations on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) flight deck, in the South China Sea April 8, 2017. Picture taken April 8, 2017. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matt Brown/Handout via REUTERS

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's navy plans joint drills with the U.S. Navy's Carl Vinson carrier strike group as it steams towards the Korean peninsula in a display of military power aimed at deterring the North Korean regime from further missile tests, two sources said.

The Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (MSDF) may conduct helicopter landings on each other's ships, as well as communication drills, as the USS Carl Vinson and its escort ships pass through waters close to Japanese territory, the sources said.