TOKYO: The United States may join Japan and India when the two Asian nations conduct their first joint naval drills this year in the Pacific, an official said on Monday. Japan, which has been seeking to boost ties with India to counter frequent tension with China, agreed at a December summit to hold naval exercises with New Delhi in 2007.

“We are coordinating joint sea drills with India sometime this year, following last year's summit between the two prime ministers,” said a spokesman for Japan's defence ministry.

“It is unclear at this point whether the United States will participate in the drill,” said the spokesman, who did not rule out the possibility.—AFP