Japan’s coast guard has held a joint exercise with counterparts from the United States and the Philippines, as the three Pacific nations beef up defense cooperation in the face of China’s expanding maritime activities.

Helicopters buzzed in the shadow of a smoldering volcano and boats rescued dummies from the sea last week in a show of maritime unity by Japan, the United States and the Philippines.

The Japanese, United States and Philippine coast guards on Friday held a joint exercise in Japan for the first time. The drill, which took place in Kagoshima Bay in southwestern Japan, simulated a scenario in which a US cargo ship and a Philippine fishing boat collided