U.S. Navy carrier group enters Sea of Japan for first time in 5 years

April 12 (UPI) -- The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its naval strike group is currently operating in the Sea of Japan for the first time in five years, the Navy said on Tuesday.

Officials said that the group is in the Sea of Japan off the Korean coast as part of bilateral operations. It comes at a time of increased concern about North Korean missile tests and possible nuclear tests.

The U.S. Naval Institute's satellite tracking also shows the nuclear-powered carrier's location.

A U.S. Navy SH-60F Seahawk helicopter takes off from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during an operation in the Pacific Ocean. File Photo by Patrick M. Bonafede/U.S. Navy/UPI

Last week, U.S. officials warned that North Korea could conduct a nuclear weapons test around the anniversary of founder Kim Il Sung's birthday on Friday. A U.S. representative said then that the anniversary is concerning in that Pyongyang "may be tempted to take another provocative action."

The carrier strike group is conducting joint operations with Japan's navy.

The Lincoln's deployment marks the first time that any U.S. Navy aircraft carrier group has entered the waters between Japan and South Korea since 2017. Then, the USS Ronald Reagan, USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Nimitz carriers all moved into the sea to participate in military drills.

The Abraham Lincoln is the current flagship of Carrier Strike Group 12, based in San Diego.

Korean military officials said that they're aware of the strike group's presence, but did not comment further, according to Voice of America.