Tokyo says China, Russia conduct joint aerial patrol near Japan

Japan's Defense Ministry said that China and Russia conducted a joint aerial patrol near the country, local media reported on Saturday.

The ministry said that they detected 10 aircraft as two Chinese and two Russian bombers staged a joint long-distance flight over the Sea of Japan, also referred to as the East Sea, on Friday afternoon, according to NHK News.

"There was no violation of Japan's airspace," the ministry said, adding that its military scrambled fighter jets to respond to the series of flights.

The statement came after South Korea on Friday said that militaries of China and Russia conducted a joint aerial patrol over the sea.

Later, China's Defense Ministry said that this was the ninth joint strategic aerial patrol by the two militaries which were held as part of bilateral military cooperation.

The Chinese and Russian militaries held similar patrols in July when they conducted joint air patrols over the Bering Sea.


Last month, Russian and Chinese border guards held their first joint patrol in the northern Pacific Ocean.