Russian Bombers Join Chinese Patrol Near Japan Amid Rising Tensions

Japan scrambles fighter jets as Moscow and Beijing step up military cooperation in the Pacific.

Japan scrambled fighter jets on Tuesday to monitor Russian and Chinese air forces conducting joint patrols around its territory, the defense ministry announced, as tensions between Tokyo and Beijing continue to escalate.

According to the ministry, two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable strategic bombers flew from the Sea of Japan toward the East China Sea, where they rendezvoused with two Chinese H-6 bombers. The aircraft then carried out a “long-distance joint flight” over the Pacific.

Four Chinese J-16 fighter jets joined the formation, flying a round-trip between Japan’s Okinawa and Miyako islands through the Miyako Strait, which is classified as international waters. Simultaneously, Japan detected Russian air force activity in the Sea of Japan, including an A-50 early-warning aircraft and two Su-30 fighters.

Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said in a post on X that the joint operations were “clearly intended as a show of force against our nation, which is a serious concern for our national security.” He added that Japan’s fighter jets “strictly implemented air defense identification measures.”

Russian news agencies reported the joint flight lasted eight hours, citing Moscow’s defense ministry. South Korea also confirmed that seven Russian and two Chinese aircraft entered its air defense zone on Tuesday.

The patrols follow heightened Chinese military activity near Japan, including radar targeting of Japanese aircraft by Chinese carrier-based fighters, an incident disputed by Beijing. Rising tensions come after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated last month that Tokyo could respond to any Chinese military action against Taiwan that also threatened Japan’s security.

China and Russia have expanded military cooperation in recent years, conducting joint anti-missile training in Russia and live-fire naval exercises in the South China Sea.

Source: Reuters & ©XAirForces News, 10 December 2025

Photo: Russian bombers join Chinese patrol near Japan. A Russian TU-95 bomber flies over East China Sea in this handout picture taken by Japan Air Self-Defence Force and released by the Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan July 23, 2019. (Photo by Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan/HANDOUT via ©REUTERS)

Editor: Naomi A.J. Takahashi (Oceanian ©XAirForces News Editor from Japan)

Keywords:  A-50air patrolBeijingChinaChina-Russia military cooperation in anti-missile training and South China Sea naval drillsChinese bombersChinese carrier-launched fighters aim radar at Japanese aircraftChinese J-16 fighters accompany bombers near Okinawa and Miyako islandsdefense ministryeight-hour Russian-Chinese joint flight reported by MoscowH-6J-16japanJapan defense minister Shinjiro Koizumi statement on show of forceJapan scrambles fighter jets to monitor joint flightsJapan’s response to Chinese military actions near Taiwanjoint flighmilitary drillsMiyako StraitMiyako Strait international waters patrolMoscownuclear-capableOkinawaPacificregional security tensions in Northeast AsiaRussiaRussian A-50 early-warning aircraft and Su-30 fighters detectedRussian bombersRussian Tu-95 bombers join Chinese H-6 patrols near Japanshow of forceSouth Korea detects Russian and Chinese aircraft in its air defense zoneSu-30Tokyo-Beijing relations strained by military activityTu-95

Russian Bombers Join Chinese Patrol Near Japan Amid Rising Tensions


(10.12.2025)