VLADIVOSTOK - Russia and Japan held joint anti-pirate drills off the coast of Russian Far Eastern city Vladivostok on Wednesday.

Two Japanese ships - destroyer Ariake and frigate Oyodo - joined Russian destroyer Admiral Panteleyev and other vessels for the one-day drill.

The warships would conduct communications and maneuvering exercises as well as search-and-rescue exercises, during which servicemen are expected to put out a fire on a tugboat and rescue people falling into water.