Russian military aircraft orbiting Japanese airspace
.Tensions between Russia and Japan have escalated significantly since the Ukraine conflict. Moscow's actions, including a fighter jet flyover, have prompted a response from Japan's Defense Ministry. This isn't the first time such an incident has occurred.
Japan scrambled its fighter jets following the presence of two Russian aircraft around its territory. The Russian planes didn't venture into Japanese airspace, the Defense Ministry clarified. For hours, a Russian Tu-142 aircraft was spotted moving from the sea towards Okinawa's southern region, as reported. In response, "we deployed our Air Self-Defense Force's fighter jets in an emergency situation," the ministry's statement added.
The flyover reportedly ended in the north, over the Hokkaido Islands. As per the ministry, the aircraft also traversed the Kuriles, a region entangled in a territorial disagreement between Japan and Russia.
Early in the week, Russian and Chinese navy vessels embarked on joint exercises in the Sea of Japan. These exercises are part of a comprehensive naval drill that Russian President Vladimir Putin described as the largest in three decades. Russia and China have boosted their military collaboration in recent years to counter what they perceive as U.S. hegemony.
Russian military aircraft were spotted circling above Japan as recently as 2019. At that time, the bombers breached Japanese airspace, a ministry representative explained. Since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, relations between Japan and Russia have noticeably deteriorated.
The deterioration in relations between Japan and Russia can be attributed in part to the ongoing situation in Ukraine, specifically the attack on Ukraine. This has led to more frequent encounters between their militaries, such as the recent flyover of Russian aircraft over Hokkaido Islands, which traversed a contested area, the Kuriles.
