South Korea and Japan reacted strongly on Wednesday after Chinese and Russian military aircraft conducted joint patrols near their territories, prompting both Seoul and Tokyo to scramble fighter jets.
Seoul confirmed it had lodged formal protests with representatives from China and Russia, while Tokyo said it had communicated its “serious concerns” over national security.
According to Japan, two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable bombers on Tuesday flew from the Sea of Japan to meet two Chinese H-6 bombers in the East China Sea, before conducting a joint flight around Japanese territory.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions following remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Taiwan, which have sparked a dispute with China.
“Clearly intended as a show of force against our nation,” Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi wrote on X. Top government spokesman Minoru Kihara added that Tokyo had formally conveyed its concerns to both China and Russia via diplomatic channels.
Seoul reported that the Russian and Chinese aircraft had entered its air defence identification zone (KADIZ) on Tuesday and that complaints had been submitted to the defence attaches of both countries.
“Our military will continue to respond actively to the activities of neighbouring countries’ aircraft within the KADIZ in compliance with international law,” said Lee Kwang-suk, director general of the International Policy Bureau at South Korea’s defence ministry. Seoul also deployed fighter jets “to take tactical measures in preparation for any contingencies” during the incursion.
The aircraft were detected before entering South Korea’s air defence zone, which is a monitored area for security purposes but does not constitute sovereign airspace. Japan also scrambled jets to intercept the planes.
Beijing confirmed on Tuesday that it had conducted drills with Russia as part of “annual cooperation plans.” Moscow described the operation as a routine eight-hour exercise, noting that some foreign jets had followed the Russian and Chinese aircraft.
Since 2019, China and Russia have repeatedly flown military aircraft into South Korea’s air defence zone without prior notice, citing joint exercises. Previous incidents include November 2024, June and December 2023, and May and November 2022, when Seoul scrambled jets in response.
Meanwhile, Japan had also scrambled jets on Monday following repeated exercises by fighter jets and helicopters from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier near Japanese waters. Beijing’s ambassador was summoned after Liaoning aircraft locked radar onto Japanese jets, the latest escalation in the row triggered by Takaichi’s Taiwan remarks.
Last month, Takaichi suggested that Japan would intervene militarily if China attacked the self-ruled island, which Beijing claims as its own territory and has not ruled out seizing by force.
