Defense & Military

Japan Reports 14% Decrease in Fighter Scrambles to Shadow Chinese, Russian Forces Over Last 9 Months

January 21, 2026 at 16:29Z
BIAS: Center
RELIABILITY: Low

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USNI News
21:49Z

A Russian Tu-95 bomber and a Chinese J-16 spotted flying between Okinawa and Miyako Island Dec. 9, 2025. Japan’s Joint Staff Office photo Japan fighter aircraft were scrambled 448 times in the last nine months – a 14 percent decrease from the same timeframe last year – in response to Chinese and Russian aircraft, Japan’s Joint Staff Office reported Friday.

From April 1 to Dec. 31, 2025, Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force scrambled fighter jets 448 times to shadow aircraft that approached and entered its Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The documented scrambles marked a decrease of 73 instances compared to 521 scrambles in 2024 during the same timeframe, according to the Japan Joint Staff Office.

Japan routinely scrambles its fighters to intercept and shadow Chinese and Russian aircraft

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Political Bias
Center
Reliability
Low

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