Tokyo/Washington, December 12: U.S. nuclear-capable bombers flew alongside Japanese fighter jets over the Sea of Japan on Wednesday in a show of force following joint Chinese-Russian military drills in the region, Japan’s defence ministry said on Thursday.
Tokyo said the mission reaffirmed the two allies’ “strong resolve to prevent any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force” and demonstrated the readiness of both the Self-Defense Forces and U.S. forces. The flight involved two U.S. B-52 strategic bombers and six Japanese fighter aircraft — three F-35 stealth jets and three F-15s.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, played down the operation, saying the bomber flights were pre-planned well before the recent China-Russia exercises and noting that similar joint sorties, including with U.S. B-1B bombers, were conducted last month.
At the White House, spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump could maintain both a “very strong alliance” with Japan and a “good working relationship” with China. Trump, who is preparing for a visit to Beijing next year for trade talks, told Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi last month he did not want further escalation in the dispute over Taiwan, according to Japanese government sources.
This week’s U.S.-Japan flight followed a joint mission by Chinese and Russian strategic bombers over the East China Sea and western Pacific on Tuesday. Separate Chinese aircraft carrier drills prompted Japan to scramble jets after Tokyo said its fighters had been targeted by radar beams — an accusation Beijing denied, claiming Japanese aircraft endangered its operations.
Japan’s Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, General Hiroaki Uchikura said the Chinese-Russian bomber activity was clearly intended as a show of force directed at Japan. “We consider it a grave concern from the standpoint of Japan’s security,” he told reporters. Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi raised similar concerns in a call with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
The Pentagon said U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke with Koizumi on Thursday, discussing China’s military activities, Japan’s defence spending and joint training, including in the country’s Southwest Islands.
China’s foreign ministry said the drills with Russia were part of an annual cooperation plan and urged Japan “not to make a fuss about nothing or take this personally”.
South Korea also scrambled fighters on Tuesday when Chinese and Russian aircraft entered its air defence identification zone, an area used for early warning that extends beyond national airspace.
Tensions in the region have sharpened in recent weeks as Taiwan reports near-daily Chinese military activity around the island. On Thursday, Taiwan’s defence ministry said it detected 27 Chinese aircraft, including H-6K nuclear-capable bombers, conducting a “joint combat readiness patrol”, along with multiple warships operating nearby.
