Japanese Jets Fly alongside U.S. Bombers in Joint Exercises

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Japanese fighter jets joined U.S. bombers in exercises over the Sea of Japan on Wednesday, the Japanese Joint Staff said Thursday, in what was seen as a coordinated move aimed at countering military threats from China and Russia. The joint flight involved three F-35s and three F-15s from the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and two U.S. B-52 strategic bombers, according to the Joint Staff. “This bilateral exercise reaffirms the strong will between Japan and the United States not to tolerate unilateral changes to the status quo by force,” the Joint Staff said. The exercise came amid an increasingly severe security environment surrounding Japan. On Saturday, a Chinese J-15 fighter jet that took off from the aircraft carrier Liaoning directed its radar at ASDF jets responding to potential airspace intrusions. On Tuesday, Chinese and Russian bombers conducted their first joint flight off the Shikoku region in western Japan. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Wednesday at a press conference that Tokyo had conveyed its “grave national security concern” to Beijing and Moscow through diplomatic channels over their joint military activities near Japan. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]