The revelation this week by Japan that the Marine Self-Defense Force (MSDF) has conducted submarine exercises in the disputed South China Sea is, while striking, unlikely to dampen enthusiasm on either side for improved Sino-Japanese ties, experts say. The MSDF submarine Kuroshio conducted the drill in the strategic waterway Thursday alongside the helicopter carrier Kaga and two other destroyers, which are on a month-long dispatch to the Southeast Asian region, the Defense Ministry said Monday. Although it is true that MSDF submarine deployments to the wider Pacific region aren’t new, this latest visit to Vietnam reflects a broader trend of naval engagements that have in recent years intensified, said Collin Koh, a specialist in regional naval affairs at Singapore’s RSIS.