Japan, US hold joint air drills amid Tokyo-Beijing tensions

ISTANBUL

Japan on Thursday said that its Air Self-Defense Force conducted joint fighter jet drills with the US military over the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, as Tokyo’s tensions with Beijing continue to rise over Taiwan and recent air encounters.

Japan’s Joint Staff said Wednesday’s exercise involved two US B-52 bombers and six Japan-operated fighter jets – three F-35s and three F-15s – in a show of combined strength.

The drills took place one day after Chinese and Russian bombers flew a joint long-range mission from the East China Sea to the Pacific. Tokyo scrambled fighters in response, though the aircraft did not enter Japanese airspace.

"This bilateral exercise reaffirms the strong will between Japan and US not to tolerate unilateral changes to the status quo by force. This also demonstrates the readiness of JSDF (Japan Self-Defense Forces) and US Armed Forces, and further strengthens the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-US Alliance,” Japan’s Joint Staff said.

US Pacific Air Forces wrote on US social media company X that the exercise demonstrated “our readiness and response capabilities,” adding that “training together reaffirms our commitment to the US-Japan Alliance & strengthens deterrence to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

The development follows Tokyo’s claim on Saturday that Chinese J-15 aircraft from the carrier Liaoning locked radar on two Japanese F-15 jets over high seas southeast of Okinawa’s main island.

China said the maneuvers were “professional, secure, restrained and beyond dispute,” adding that it is “common practice” for carrier-borne aircraft to switch radar on during training.

Tensions between China and Japan have escalated since Nov. 7, when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said a Chinese attack on Taiwan could legally constitute a “survival-threatening situation,” potentially allowing Japan to “exercise the right of collective self-defense.”

Beijing sharply criticized the remarks, urged Chinese tourists to avoid Japan, suspended seafood imports and postponed a trilateral culture ministers’ meeting with Japan and South Korea.

Taiwan, which Beijing claims, lies near Japan’s Yonaguni Island.