Japanese ships join U.S. carrier for drills as it nears Korean waters

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson transits the South China Sea while conducting flight operations on April 9, 2017. The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled western Pacific deployment as part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet-led initiative to extend the command and control functions of U.S. 3rd Fleet. Picture taken on April 9, 2017 Z.A. Landers/Courtesy U.S. Navy/Handout via REUTERS

SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea said on Sunday it was ready to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military might, in the latest sign of rising tension as U.S. President Donald Trump prepared to call the leaders of China and Japan.

The United States ordered the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula in response to mounting concern over the North's nuclear and missile tests, and its threats to attack the United States and its Asian allies.