Japan, the United States, Australia and the Philippines have announced joint maritime exercises to be held on Sunday in the South China Sea.

The four nations issued a joint statement on Saturday about the drills, which they call "Maritime Cooperative Activity", in the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone in the South China Sea.

Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force says vessels taking part in the exercises include its destroyer Akebono, a US littoral combat ship, and Australian and Philippine frigates.

This is the first time that the four countries are conducting what they call "maritime cooperative activity".

The statement says the exercises are aimed at strengthening interoperability of their countries' forces tactics and techniques.

The drills come after China's aggressive actions in the South China Sea.

In March, China Coast Guard ships fired water cannons at Philippine resupply vessels heading to a military outpost near the Second Thomas Shoal, injuring crew members. The Philippines effectively control the area, which China claims.

Included in agenda items for the Japan-US summit scheduled for Wednesday in Washington is how to respond to China in the South China Sea.

Those items are also on the agenda for trilateral summit talks between Japan, the US and the Philippines to be held in the US capital on Thursday.