Japan scrambles fighters after Russian aircraft fly over archipelago
Illustrative photo: Japan scrambled fighter jets because of Russian planes in the sky (Getty Images)
Japan has scrambled its fighter jets. This happened because of Russian planes that flew over the archipelago for the first time in five years, according to The Japan Times.
According to Japan's Ministry of Defense, on Thursday morning until noon, two Russian Tu-142 aircraft flew from the sea between Japan and South Korea towards Okinawa Prefecture.
After that they continued north over the Pacific Ocean, ending their journey near northern Hokkaido.
It is currently known that the Russian aircraft did not enter Japanese airspace. However, they flew over an area that is a subject of a territorial dispute between Japan and Russia.
"In response, we mobilized Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets on an emergency basis," the Ministry stated.
The last time Russian military aircraft flew over Japan was in 2019. However, that involved bombers entering Japanese airspace.
Territorial dispute between Japan and Russia
The territorial dispute between Japan and Russia concerns the Southern Kuril Islands, which Japan refers to as its Northern Territories. These islands include Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and the Habomai islets.
The dispute arose after World War II when the Soviet Union occupied these islands in 1945 following Japan's defeat. Since then, the islands have been under Russian control (as the successor to the USSR), but Japan continues to claim them as illegally occupied.
This dispute has prevented the signing of an official peace treaty between Japan and Russia following World War II. Negotiations have been ongoing for decades, but a resolution has yet to be found, and the situation remains a significant aspect of relations between the two countries.
Japan’s sanctions against Russia
Japan imposed sanctions on Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, banning the export of high-tech goods and luxury items, as well as the import of Russian seafood and timber. Tokyo froze the assets of Russian banks and organizations and prohibited Japanese companies from cooperating with certain Russian enterprises.
In mid-June, Japan introduced new sanctions against Russia, adding 11 individuals and 42 companies to the list
