Last week, US and Japanese troops conducted a joint war game exercise using land-to-ship missiles on an enemy ship from the city of Kumamoto located on the southern island of Kyushu - reportedly "keeping in mind China's increasing maritime activities," according to local media.  

In another drill last week off the coast of Virginia last week - 28 vessels were put through the paces to simulate transporting a mass of troops and equipment to a major conflict overseas. 

Meanwhile, the US conducted five days of drills with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) forces at the beginning of September - the first such drills between America and the 10 member nations. As SCMP notes, "Four of those countries – Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam – have territorial disputes with Beijing over the South China Sea."

Lastly, in yet another drill last month, US marines practiced seizing airfields and islands in the East and South China Seas near the Philippines and the Japanese island of Okinawa.