BY RismadarVoice Media
December 10, 2025
South Korea and Japan reacted sharply on Wednesday, December 10, 2025 after Chinese and Russian military aircraft carried out coordinated patrols around both countries, prompting emergency jet scrambles and diplomatic protests in Seoul and Tokyo.
Authorities in South Korea said they summoned representatives of China and Russia to lodge formal protests, while Japan said it had conveyed its “serious concerns,” warning that the operation posed a threat to its national security.
According to Japan’s defence ministry, two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable bombers flew from the Sea of Japan on Tuesday before meeting two Chinese H-6 bombers in the East China Sea. The aircraft then conducted a joint flight around Japan in what Tokyo described as a deliberate and provocative maneuver.
The incident comes amid rising tensions between Japan and China, following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remarks – suggesting that Japan would intervene militarily if China attacks Taiwan, comments which have angered Beijing.
South Korea said the Chinese and Russian aircraft were detected before entering the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ), a buffer area monitored for security threats but not considered national airspace.
“Our military will continue to respond actively to the activities of neighbouring countries’ aircraft within the KADIZ in compliance with international law,” said Lee Kwang-suk, director general of the International Policy Bureau at Seoul’s defence ministry.
Seoul confirmed it deployed fighter jets to take tactical measures in preparation for any contingencies, reflecting concerns over the potential for miscalculation.
Japan also scrambled fighter jets in response to the joint patrol.
Beijing confirmed it had conducted the joint mission with Russia as part of annual cooperation plans, while Moscow dismissed regional alarm, describing the patrol as a routine eight-hour exercise and claiming foreign fighters had tailed them.
China and Russia have conducted joint flights through the KADIZ repeatedly since 2019, often without prior notification.
South Korea scrambled jets in similar incidents in 2022 and 2023, including one in November, last year involving five Chinese and six Russian aircraft.
Meanwhile, tensions between Japan and China continue to escalate.
Tokyo said it scrambled jets after Chinese military aircraft operating from the Liaoning aircraft carrier performed repeated takeoff-and-landing drills in international waters near Japan.
Japan also summoned China’s Ambassador after Chinese aircraft allegedly locked radar onto Japanese jets – a dangerous act that can be interpreted as preparation to fire.
The latest confrontations highlight the deepening geopolitical rivalry in East Asia, where territorial disputes, military posturing, and the Taiwan question have created a volatile security environment.
