Japanese fighter jets scramble 157 times in April-June period
The scrambles were mostly in response to Chinese and Russian aircraft. The number of scrambles against Russian aircraft was the second lowest since fiscal 2013, but the ministry still considers the figure high.
The number of scrambles against Chinese aircraft rose by 17 from a year before to 122, accounting for some 78% of the total, according to the ministry. There were 32 scrambles against Russian aircraft, down by 20.
In May, a Chinese helicopter intruded into Japanese airspace after taking off from a coast guard ship that entered Japanese waters off the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. The Japanese-administered islands in the East China Sea are claimed by China.
Over 1,300 takeoffs and landings by fighter jets and others on Chinese aircraft carriers advancing to the Pacific Ocean from the East China Sea were confirmed.
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