Japan’s defense ministry says it scrambled jets to intercept approaching foreign aircraft more frequently last year than at any time in the past 15 years.
The ministry said more than two-thirds of the sorties were flown against approaching Russian aircraft during the fiscal year that ended March 30. That was an increase of 30 percent over the year before.
It said 96 of the 386 incidents involved Chinese aircraft, more than twice as many as in the previous year. There were 12 incidents involving North Korean aircraft in fiscal 2009 but none last year.
National NHK television on Wednesday quoted the defense ministry saying the figures reflect increased intelligence gathering by Russian aircraft. The network said China is also believed to have strengthened its intelligence gathering, using upgraded jets.
Japan has also engaged in fierce diplomatic disputes with both Russia and China during the past 12 months over disputed island chains.
The 386 sorties in fiscal 2010 were the most since 1991, when Japanese fighters were scrambled 488 times to intercept foreign aircraft.
The ministry said no uninvited foreign aircraft actually entered Japanese airspace last year, although Chinese aircraft came within about 80 kilometers over the East China Sea on one occasion in March.
