Japan is hosting several of its Pacific neighbors for a joint military exercise intended to boost readiness to halt the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The drill, which will also include Australian, South Korean, and Singaporean airmen, will simulate the forced landing and inspection of a plane carrying radioactive substances flying into Japanese airspace.

The three-day air exercise will last until Thursday and will be based at Chitose Air Base on Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido.

It is part of the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative, which is intended to halt the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction.

Asian countries have held a series of recent military exercises that analysts say are in response to increased provocations by nuclear-armed North Korea.