Tokyo, Dhu-AlHijjah 20, 1433, Nov 5, 2012, SPA - The US and Japan planned to start a joint military drill Monday in seas near the southern island of Okinawa, the Japanese government said. The exercise scheduled through November 16 is aimed at beefing up defenses of Japan's south-western islands, the Defence Ministry said. Japan's military on Sunday dispatched destroyers and an Aegis cruiser to the US White Beach Base in Okinawa, public broadcaster NHK reported. About 47,000 personnel, including 10,000 from the US military, are participating and a US aircraft carrier is also taking part, it said. --SPA 13:02 LOCAL TIME 10:02 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/1045751