Speaking aboard the USS Ronald Reagan in Japan Wednesday, Pence reiterated the USA and its allies were prepared to respond to potential North Korean attack with "overwhelming" force.
"U.S. policy is to continue to work diligently with Japan and other countries, including China, to bring economic and diplomatic pressure on the regime in North Korea (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) until the country abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programs", Pence told an assembly of USA servicemen and Japanese Self-Defense Forces personnel.
"The shield stands guard and the sword stands ready", he said.
After leaving Japan Wednesday, Pence's Asia-Pacific tour will continue with visits to Indonesia and Australia before returning to the United States.
Tensions reached a boiling point over the weekend as North Korea celebrated the 105th birthday of their founding leader Kim il-Sung. Many analysts expected that to occur during Kim Il Sung celebrations.
The US played its own part in the tensions with surprise bombing action in Syria and Afghanistan, which Pence held up Wednesday as proof of US resolve.
The BBC's Stephen McDonell in Beijing says the Chinese government appears to be becoming increasingly frustrated with North Korea, its traditional ally.
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"We want to see North Korea abandon its reckless path of the development of nuclear weapons, and also its continual use and testing of ballistic missiles is unacceptable".
The Bush administration tried to get them to the negotiating table during the Six Party talks, and the punishing sanctions levied under the Obama administration haven't deterred Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.
The U.S. military said on April 10 that the aircraft carrier strike group Trump was referring to had been ordered to "sail north and report on station in the Western Pacific" after departing Singapore. US Vice-President Mike Pence, who has been visiting the region, warned the North not to test Washington and said the US "era of strategic patience" with Pyongyang was over.
Last week, President Trump said he was sending an "armada" to the Korean Peninsula as a show of force.
However, it has emerged that the USS Carl Vinson and other warships did not sail toward the Korean Peninsula, but went in the opposite direction.
The White House faces mounting pressure to set conditions and limits for prospective intervention in North Korea.
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