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Japan says jets scrambling at record pace to counter Chinese, Russian intrusions

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China and Russia are two peas in a pod. Arrogant, power mad, deceitful, land grabbing bullies. Both are entirely immature. Will they ever grow up? I won't hold my breath. I'll probably still be reading stories like this well into my retirement. Pathetic.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

I am increasingly concerned that we may be heading towards a horrible tragedy affecting an airline flight between Taipei and the Japanese home islands at the rate things are going with these interceptions of Chinese military aircraft.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

In the nine months ending Dec 31, Japanese fighters scrambled 744 times, 32% more than the same period the previous year, the ministry said. Encounters with Chinese aircraft, which accounted for half of the nine month total, jumped to 164 in the final quarter of 2014, the most since 1958, when records began.

WOW!!!

...And China has the balls to complain about the increased Japanese military spending. Well, I can see at least one of the places where there has been an increase in spending, at least 32% in fuel cost over the previous year.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

China is gaining more and more technologies and resources to become the major Pacific power and we as consumers are in positions to reduce and refuse to purchase "made in China" goods reducing China's finances and corporate shared technologies.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

My NATO buddies have been complaining about the Russians flying into EU territory ... for the last decade. It's not surprising to see Russia take advantage of the situation. Given the domestic decline in Russia then need a distraction. I would not put it past Putin to make a play in "disputed territories". If Japan wants to play in this space they're going to need a lot more planes and people. They are competing against China who is simply building their own Islands to create a tidy little military bases.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

RC - considering the current mindset of the Russian president, I think we are more likely to see another repeat of the KAL 007 tragedy, rather than one involving the JSDF. Since the Russians shot down Malaysia Air 17 with impunity, that sad milestone has already been passed by Putin on his path to ruin.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Yes it's amazing that Japan must scramble "their fighter jets" in an all out effort to protect their property when WE - The United States are supposed to be protecting by abiding by the Peace Treaty that we forced Japan to sign that WE - The United States would honor to "Protect Japan's Property" and boarders.

So why aren't WE The United States scrambling OUR fighter jets in order to protect Japan and abide by the same security treaty that we forced Japan to sign in good faith that The Japnese have honorably upheld since the end of World War 2 ?

Japan is a Non-Nuclear Weaponed Nation consistently being harassed, tormented, and threatened by Nuclear Armed Giants like Communist China and Pro-Communist Russia who claim rights to property that does not belong to them nor within their respective boarders.

Again, why aren't we sending our jets aloft? That's my concern.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I sincerely hope the Japanese fighter pilots are aggressive, but not trigger-happy. Send them up, let them arm their weaponry, and the incursions by the more aggressive nations will take note - it all shows on the fighter aircrafts' scans.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Good practice for the JSDF pilots.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

russians are running out of storage space store all the oil they can't sell. sorry people!. chinese are like the kid with a new toy. sorry people! let see how long all this extravegance last

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Japan says jets scrambling at record pace to counter Chinese, Russian intrusions

However:

“With only three quarters of data available, we can’t yet say whether it will be a record year,” a spokesman for Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force told reporters.

why let the truth get in the way of a juicy headline?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@Asakaze I think you have no explanation for why the "peace-loving" Russians are visiting Japan so often. Looking to steal more territory?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

No wonder J-military needs more funding.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/12/19/world/danger-in-the-skies-as-russia-nato-play-cat-and-mouse/

Russia raise its military flights over Europe too, but more dangerously, turning off transponders in busy commercial airspace, leading to some close calls with civilian jet-liners. (NATO aircraft usually keep their transponders on.)

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Why should the US bear every single military burden for Japan?

What every single military burden? Japan is burdened with the bases and money for US military in Japan.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Dictators do what dictators do and the West has many useful idiots who fail to recognize this. Abe gets it. If only our President would and stand united with our allies.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

@tinawatanabe 0.2% of GDP I believe I calculated one time. I don't know what Saketwon and Wc626 are going on about: I think Japan is handling its first line defense as it should, since they have their own foreign policy.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Their foreign policy is just as ridiculous as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Burden? if Japan changes their constitution then we (US forces) could glady go home. Did (do) you really expect americans to be your first, second & third line of defense?

So keep scrambling the jets . . . . show Russia & China that Japan has more potential.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Why should the US bear every single military burden for Japan?

Its time for Japan to pull its own. This peace loving nation has prospered under the US umbrella for decades. Its time to start providing its own security through enhanced collective defense in the face of foreign threats & incursions.

Senkaku islands? Does America give two- bits for that cause? That is Japan's issue & Japan alone.

So Gambatte! keep scrambling those SDF jets.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Since the Russians shot down Malaysia Air 17 with impunity

@shinhiyata

Stop spreading lies. Official investigation of the incident is not finished. About false claims read here:

http://www.japantoday.com/category/opinions/view/flight-mh17-will-the-world-ever-know-the-truth#comment_1837651

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Keep kidding yourself that all these outsiders are out to get Japan and it's valuable natural resources, just long enough to get Mr.Abe's dream of a beautiful (read stronger) Japan off the ground, and upu may find yourself sending your sons off to die on foreign shores.

-5 ( +9 / -13 )

@scipantheist Sorry to disappoint you, but I have an explanation. Russian planes do not intrude into Japanese air space, they fly along Japanese borders. It is routine military exercise or reconnaissance. Do you have any friends in the military? Ask them, for example, about US flights along Korean borders. By the way, when Japanese planes fly along Russian borders, Russians make no fuss about it, just because it is routine military practice.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

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