China claims as its territory much of the South China Sea, a conduit for the bulk of northeast Asia’s trade with the rest of the world in which Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.
Japan, which announced last year its biggest military build-up since World War Two in a step away from post-war pacifism, does not have any claims to the busy waterway.
But it has a separate maritime dispute with China in the East China Sea, where the neighbours have repeatedly faced off.
The latest exercise, which included two vessels from each side, included a communications exercise, tactical manoeuvring, and a photographic exercise, the AFP said.