SEOUL, South Korea — The United States sent nuclear-capable bombers, accompanied by Japanese fighter jets over the Sea of Japan in the first military show of force by the two allies since a bitter feud erupted between Japan and China last month.

The drills included two U.S. B-52 strategic bombers and six Japanese F-35 and F-15 fighter jets, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry's Joint Staff .

"This bilateral exercise reaffirms the strong will between Japan and U.S. not to tolerate unilateral changes to the status quo by force," Japan's Joint Staff said in a statement — language that Japan often uses to refer to the status of Taiwan, a self-governed island that China claims as part of its territory.

This follows joint drills by Chinese and Russian strategic bombers and fighters o

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