The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced on May 24 that six Chinese and Russian strategic bombers were observed flying near Japan on the same day as the Quad Summit in Tokyo, prompting an emergency dispatch of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). Its jets responded.
Earlier in the day, Japan Air Self-Defense Force aircraft observed two Chinese Xi’an H-6 bombers and two Russian Tu-95 bombers over the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan, followed by two different H-6s along with The same Tu-95 bombers transited the Miyako Strait between Okinawa and Miyako Island, Japan, entering the Pacific Ocean from the East China Sea.
While none of the bombers violated Japanese airspace, the combined bomber flight — the first of its kind since November 2021 and the fourth since July 2019 — appeared to be a warning to the Leader-led Quartet Summit. Australia, India, Japan and the United States.
On the same day, a Russian Ilyushin Il-20 electronic intelligence aircraft was also seen flying over the Sea of Japan.
Tokyo protested flights to China and Russia through diplomatic channels, and Japan’s Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi claimed at a news conference that Japan “cannot ignore any provocation that escalates tensions in the East Asian region.”
The Chinese Ministry of Defense (MND) and the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced on the same day that their respective air forces have conducted “joint air patrols” in the Sea of Japan, East China Sea and waters of the East China Sea. west Pacific.
“Our mission this time strictly abides by international law and did not violate airspace,” the Russian Defense Ministry said, noting that the exercise was carried out under an annual military cooperation plan and “was not aimed at confronting any third country.”
At the same time, South Korea also announced that two H-6 bombers and four Russian aircraft, including two Tu-95 bombers, entered its Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), but did not violate South Korean airspace.
Japan announced earlier on May 20 that the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s aircraft carrier Liaoning had conducted more than 300 launches near Japan and Taiwan since early May.
by Jr Ng
