Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force will not attend a multinational maritime exercise scheduled in waters off South Korea’s coast in late April.

In a press release Friday, Seoul's Defense Ministry said it's been decided the exercise will be held in Busan and Singapore, and that Japan will only participate in activities in Singapore.

The initial exercise plans called for the mobilization of 16 warships from eleven countries in Busan before proceeding together towards Singapore. 

However, the exercises, which focus on search and rescue as well as antipiracy missions, will now be staged in separate parts in Busan and Singapore respectively.
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The decision came at a meeting of the maritime security expert working group of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus held in Busan this week. South Korea and Singapore cochair the working group this year. 

Tokyo's decision not to send vessels to the Busan portion of the training is believed to stem from military tensions with Seoul over a dispute involving provocative low-altitude flybys of Japanese aircraft near South Korean warships.