US & Japan deploy fighter jets and bombers in joint drills following Pyongyang's ICBM test

United States and Japan have conducted joint military drills rthwest of Kyushu Island. drill included deployment of fighter jets and strategic bombers and comes after  recent spate of missile test launches by rth Korea. Japan's Joint Staff confirmed on Saturday, "Japan Self-Defense Forces and US Armed Forces conducted a bilateral exercise on Friday, v 19," citing "an increasingly severe security environment" in region surrounding Japan.   

As per statement by Japanese Joint Staff, drills were initiated in aftermath of launch of rth Korea's ICBM-class Ballistic Missile "that landed within Japanese Exclusive Ecomic Zone in Sea of Japan".  

US & Japan demonstrate military might amid DPRK's provocations

bilateral military exercises between Japan and United States involved five Japanese Mitsubishi F-2 fighters, two US Rockwell B-1 Lancer heavy bombers, 8th Air Wing tactical fighter squadron and 28th Bomb Wing air force unit reported Sputnik.  

However, practice of joint drills between United States and Japan in region is t new. two nations have regularly initiated such drills in a show of power amid missile test launches by Pyongyang. Meanwhile, rth Korea continues to condemn such drills labelling m 'provocative' in nature towards nation and considers m as rehearsals for a US-led invasion of rth Korea.  

latest drills between US and Japan came following launch of Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by rth. Reportedly, missile is capable of reaching US mainland. According to South Korean military, missile flew about 1,000 kilometres reaching an altitude of 6,100 kilometres while travelling at a maximum speed of Mach 22 (22 times faster than speed of sound).  

Japanese officials have claimed missile fell about 200 kilometres west of Hokkaido's Oshima Island, which lies within Japan's exclusive ecomic zone. new launch came subsequently a day after Pyongyang fired ar short-range ballistic missile toward Sea of Japan while warning US and its allies of a proportional response against Washington's bolstering of extended deterrence, reported Sputnik.