The number of times Japanese fighter jets scrambled to ward off Russian military aircraft more than doubled in the last six months, amid diplomatic tensions between the two countries which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is keen to ease.
The increased activity in Japan’s north also comes as the armed forces pivot their focus southwards towards China, the assertive Asian giant which is seen in Tokyo as the more immediate challenge.
According to government figures released this week, instances of fighter jets scrambling into the skies above Japan jumped by 73% in the six months through September, led by sorties confronting Russian bombers and spy planes.
Scrambles jumped to 533 from 308 a year earlier, the Defense Ministry said, and the total is on course to surpass figures seen during the last fiscal year, themselves the highest in nearly a quarter of a century.
Flights dispatched specifically to meet Russian aircraft in the latest six months soared to 324 from 136, although they eased during the second half of the period under review.
“We don’t know the reason for the increased air activity. That’s something for the Russians to answer,” said a Self-Defense Forces official, who declined to be identified under ground rules for a recent press tour of facilities in Hokkaido.
The official would not discuss the circumstances surrounding the surge in scrambles against Russia.
The Russian Defense Ministry failed to answer repeated telephone calls made by Reuters on Wednesday for comment.
