Japan increases fighter jets to counter China

The Japanese Ministry of Defense (ASDF) has doubled the number of aircraft taking off in each encounter with foreign aircraft.

Japanese fighter jets take off from a base in Okinawa. Photo: Kyodo

Tokyo has had to double the number of aircraft deployed to intercept airspace violations to four since last year, according to Japanese officials.

Kyodo news agency on February 26 quoted Japanese government sources as saying that for every four aircraft taking off, two of them will be responsible for dealing with foreign aircraft entering Japanese airspace. Previously, since 1958, only two fighter jets took off to check foreign aircraft.

In addition, the ASDF also increased air patrol time and added E-2C early warning aircraft as well as airborne warning and control systems for aircraft performing missions.

Since China stepped up military activities around the Japanese-controlled Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, the number of encounters between the two countries' forces has increased sharply around neighboring waters where their air defense identification zones overlap.

The number of times Tokyo had to send aircraft to intervene in the past year even surpassed the record of 844 times set in 1984 during the most tense period between the two countries.

However, Beijing and Tokyo have yet to establish a military communication mechanism to avoid the risk of clashes at sea and in the air.

Japan has actually increased the number of F-15 fighters stationed in Naha Prefecture, Okinawa to about 40 aircraft. However, Japan still lacks aircraft to carry out missions due to the increased number of missions with each deployment, combined with a pre-existing shortage.

To operate more effectively, the command in Tokyo began moving fighters to different areas and reviewing the minimum number of aircraft stationed at each air unit.

According to tuoitre.vn