Japan’s Self-Defense Forces are reportedly conducting a drill to evacuate Japanese nationals who live in conflict regions overseas.

Japan’s Kyodo News said that the Japan Air Self-Defense Force began an exercise to evacuate Japanese expatriates in the case of overseas emergencies at a base in Aichi Prefecture on Monday. The drill will end on Thursday.

The drill follows a proposal by Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa to devise measures to protect Japanese nationals staying in South Korea in preparation for a potential emergency on the Korean Peninsula.

Some 370 Japanese self-defense forces, eight planes and one transport ship were mobilized for the exercise.