U.S., Japanese fighter jets carry out drills after North Korea missile launch

5th and 8th Air Wing of Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-15 and F-2 fighters hold a joint military drill with U.S. Marine Aircraft Group 12's F-35B fighters off Japan's southernmost main island of Kyushu, Japan, in this handout picture taken by Japan Air Self-Defence Force and released by the Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan October 4, 2022. Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan/HANDOUT via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fighter jets from the United States and Japan carried out joint drills on Tuesday over the Sea of Japan following North Korea's first test-firing of a ballistic missile over Japan in five years, the U.S. military said.

"Our commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remains ironclad," the Hawaii-based U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement, adding the drill was carried out by U.S. Marine Corps fighter jets that joined Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) fighter jets.