US-Japan Bomber and Fighter Joint Drills in the East Sea... Countering North Korea's ICBM Launch

Japan: "2 US B1B, 4 F-16, and 3 Japan F15 Participate"

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] On the 19th, Japan's Ministry of Defense announced that the United States and Japan conducted joint exercises over the East Sea by deploying fighter jets and bombers in response to North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch.

The exercise involved three Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15 fighters, two U.S. B-1B strategic bombers, and four F-16 fighters.

The Ministry of Defense stated, "With North Korea launching ICBM-class ballistic missiles that fell within Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the security environment surrounding Japan has become increasingly severe. The Self-Defense Forces and U.S. military conducted joint training." It added, "Through this exercise, we confirmed the strong will of the U.S.-Japan alliance to respond to all situations, as well as the readiness of the Self-Defense Forces and U.S. military, further strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the U.S.-Japan alliance."

The Japanese Ministry of Defense released photos and videos taken from the air by an Air Self-Defense Force F-15 fighter jet that was collecting information near the landing site of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launched by North Korea on November 18 last year.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Korean Central News Agency reported that North Korea conducted an ICBM 'Hwasong-15' launch exercise under the guidance of the Missile General Bureau the previous day.

The Japanese government announced that the ICBM-class missile launched from near western Pyongyang toward the East Sea the previous afternoon fell within Japan's EEZ, approximately 200 km west of Oshima Oshima, Hokkaido.

Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu commented on this, saying, "The missile is estimated to have a range exceeding 14,000 km," adding, "The entire United States is within range."

When North Korea launched ballistic missiles in November last year, the U.S. and Japan also conducted joint exercises as a countermeasure, involving Self-Defense Force fighters and U.S. bombers and fighters in the airspace west of Kyushu in southwestern Japan.