Delivering a speech on the flight deck of an American aircraft carrier anchored at the naval base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, visiting U.S. Vice President Mike Pence warned Pyongyang not to test the resolve and military capability of the United States, vowing that such a move would be met with "an overwhelming and effective American response."
"The full range of the United States military capability is dedicated to the protection of Japan. Japan, you are our friend — you are our ally — and on that foundation, we will face the future together," Pence told the thousands of American and Japanese sailors who packed the deck of the USS Ronald Reagan, which is based in the port city.
"We will defeat any attack, and meet any use of conventional or nuclear weapons with an overwhelming and effective American response," he said in the speech, which was livestreamed on the White House website.