Japan, US do air drills amid tensions

Japan has carried out joint air drills with US supersonic bombers as tensions in the region escalate amid North Korea's continued ballistic missile tests.

The exercise on Tuesday around Japan's southern Kyushu island involved two US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers and two Japanese F-2 jet fighters, Japan's Air Self Defence Force (ASDF) said in a news release.

North Korea said on Wednesday it was considering a strike on the US Pacific territory of Guam, hours after President Donald trump said any threat from Pyongyang would be met with "fire and fury".

Andersen Air Force Base on Guam is where the US keeps its B1-B bombers deployed to the Asia Pacific.

The US planes, which are capable of carrying nuclear bombs, followed up the drills with Japan with a separate exercise with South Korean forces, the ASDF said.