A fleet of US, Japanese and Indian warships will hold a large-scale joint naval exercise over eight days from Friday in the Western Pacific.

Japan's Ministry of Defense said the drill, dubbed Malabar, is an annual event between the US and India. Japan is joining it this year for the first time since 2007. A Japanese Hyuga-type warship will practice submarine hunting and anti-aircraft defenses. The ship is one of the country's three new helicopter carriers. Japan's military is reinforcing disputed islands with radar stations and anti-ship missile batteries.

Last year, the drill was held in the Bay of Bengal near India.