US jet fighters have joined Japanese warplanes in a show of strength, a day after North Korea launched ballistic missiles into the waters separating it with Japan.
The exercise was meant to "showcase combined capabilities to deter and counter regional threats", the US military said in a statement.
The flight of eight aircraft consisted of four American F-16 jets and four Japanese F-15 warplanes, according to Japan's Air Self-Defence Force.
Japan and the United States wanted to show their combined resolve in the wake of North Korea's latest missile launches, two US officials told Reuters anonymously.
The missiles were fired just hours after US President Joe Biden left Tokyo where he had been attending this week's Quad meeting with leaders from Australia, Japan, and India.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was making his first debut on the world stage, left Tokyo yesterday and returned to Australia.
One of the North Korean missiles appeared to be the country's largest intercontinental ballistic missile, according to South Korean officials.
It is estimated to have a range of about 15,000 kilometres, which would enable it to hit targets on the US mainland.
North Korea was not the only one to make a provocative move during the week-long summit; Russian and Chinese warplanes came near Japanese airspace on Tuesday.
According to China's Defence Ministry, the exercise with Russia was part of an "annual military cooperation plan".
Reuters/ABC
