Violations of Japanese airspace

Violations of Japanese airspace have occurred on a number of occasions. There have been 39 cases from 1967 to 2017. The vast majority have involved Soviet aircraft during the Cold War, or Russian aircraft afterwards.

There have been several prominent cases of airspace violations.

Japan's Air Defense Identification Zone

In addition to actual violations there are many cases of foreign aircraft skirting Japanese airspace or entering Japan's Air Defense Identification Zone. In 2016 fighter squadrons of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) aircraft launched 851 times to intercept Chinese aircraft and 301 times in response to Russian aircraft.[3]

List of airspace violations edit

Number Date Location Country Aircraft type (number)
1 August 19, 1967 Rebun Island, Hokkaido USSR Unknown (1)
2 February 7, 1974 Rebun Island, Hokkaido USSR Unknown (1)
3 September 24, 1975 Shikine-jima/Kōzu-shima, Tokyo USSR Tu-95 (2)
4 September 6, 1976 Hokkaido USSR MiG-25 (1)[4]
5 September 7, 1977 Gotō Islands, Nagasaki USSR Tu-95 (2)
6 March 17, 1978 Tsushima Island, Nagasaki USSR Tu-95 (1)
7 December 5, 1978 Rebun Island, Hokkaido USSR Unknown (1)
8 November 15th, 1979 Senkaku Islands, Okinawa USSR Tu-95 (2)
9 June 29, 1980 Hegura-jima, Ishikawa USSR Ilyushin Il-38 (2)
10 August 18, 1980 Gotō Islands, Nagasaki USSR Ilyushin Il-62 (1)
11 June 6, 1981 Rebun Island, Hokkaido USSR Ilyushin Il-14 (1)
12 June 24, 1981 Rebun Island, Hokkaido USSR Unknown (1)
13 April 3, 1981 Danjogun, Nagasaki USSR Il-62 (1)
14 October 15, 1983 Shiretoko, Hokkaido USSR MiG-23? (2?)[5]
15 November 15, 1982 Okinoshima, Fukuoka USSR Tu-16 (1), Tu-95 (1)
16 November 12, 1983 Okinoshima, Fukuoka USSR Tu-16 (1)
17 November 23, 1983 Okinoshima, Fukuoka USSR Tu-95 (1), Tu-142 (1)
18 February 6, 1986 Rebun Island, Hokkaido USSR Unknown (1)[6]
19 August 27, 1987 Rebun Island, Hokkaido USSR Unknown (1)
20 December 9, 1987 Okinawa USSR Tu-16 (1)[7][8][9]
21 April 21, 1989 Rebun Island, Hokkaido USSR Unknown (1)
22 July 6, 1991 Nemuro Peninsula, Hokkaido USSR An-30
23 August 15, 1991 Rebun Island, Hokkaido USSR Tu-95 (2)
24 April 10, 1992 Rebun Island/Wakkanai, Hokkaido Russia An-12
25 May 7, 1992 Sea near Hokkaido Russia Unknown (1)
26 July 28, 1992 Tsushima Island, Nagasaki Russia Tu-154 (2)
27 August 31, 1993 Kukujima, Aomori Prefecture Russia Il-20 (1)
28 March 25, 1994 Senkaku Islands, Okinawa Taiwan Beechcraft King Air B350
29 March 23, 1995 Rebun Island, Hokkaido Russia MiG-31
30 February 14, 2001 Rebun Island, Hokkaido Russia Tu-22M (2), Tu-22(?) (2)[10]
31 April 11, 2001 Rebun Island, Hokkaido Russia Unknown (1)
32 April 11, 2001 Kukujima, Aomori Prefecture Russia Su-24
33 January 25, 2005 Rebun Island, Hokkaido Russia An-72
34 February 9, 2008 Izu Islands/Lot's Wife (crag), Tokyo Russia Tu-95 (1)[11][12][13]
35 December 13, 2012 Uotsurishima, Okinawa China Y-12 (1)[14][15]
36 February 7, 2013 Rishiri Island, Hokkaido Russia Su-27 (2)[16][17][18]
37 August 22, 2013 Okinoshima, Fukuoka Russia Tu-95 (2)[19][20]
38 September 15, 2015 Nemuro Peninsula, Hokkaido Russia? Fisheries monitoring?[21][20][22][23]
39 May 18, 2017 Senkaku Islands, Okinawa China Unmanned Aerial Vehicle[24][25]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Thompson, Paul JASDF Squadron Histories - 302nd Squadron J-HangarSpace Retrieved August 14, 2017
  2. ^ Japanese Jet Warns Soviet Plane December 10, 1987 New York Times Retrieved August 14, 2017
  3. ^ Japan Air Self-Defense Force: Chinese Intercepts Down 50, Russia Up 60 Percent July 17, 2017 The Diplomat Retrieved September 20, 2017
  4. ^ The pilot who stole a secret Soviet fighter jet September 5, 2016 BBC Retrieved August 18, 2017
  5. ^ Kimura, Hiroshi Japanese-Russian Relations Under Brezhnev and Andropov page 247 Published 2000. Retrieved August 18, 2017
  6. ^ Pak, Chi Young The Korean Straits Published 1988, Retrieved August 18, 2017
  7. ^ Japanese Jet Warns Soviet Plane December 10, 1987 New York Times Retrieved August 18, 2017
  8. ^ Japan Given Apology by Soviet December 11, 1987 New York Times Retrieved August 18, 2017
  9. ^ Soviet Union apologizes to Japan over airspace violation December 16, 1987 United Press International Retrieved August 18, 2017
  10. ^ Russian military planes enter Japanese airspace February 15, 2001 Japan Times Retrieved October 2, 2017
  11. ^ Violation of Japanese Airspace by Russian Aircraft (February 9, 2008) Ministry of Defense Retrieved August 18, 2017
  12. ^ Japan Says Russian Bomber Violated Its Airspace February 10, 2008 New York Times Retrieved August 18, 2017
  13. ^ Orgs, Andrew Lee & Tatsumi, Yuki Global Security Watch - Japan page 105 Retrieved August 18, 2017
  14. ^ China's activities surrounding Japan's airspace Ministry of Defense Retrieved August 17, 2017
  15. ^ Japan increases defense budget for first time in 11 years January 7, 2013 The Hankyoreh Retrieved August 17, 2017
  16. ^ Russian fighters intrude into Japanese airspace on isle row day, spurring protest February 8, 2013 Japan Times Retrieved August 17, 2017
  17. ^ Did Russian Jets Violate Japanese Airspace? February 8, 2013 The Diplomat Retrieved August 18, 2017
  18. ^ Russian fighter jets 'breach Japan airspace' February 7, 2013 BBC Retrieved August 18, 2017
  19. ^ Japan accuses Russia of air space intrusion; Moscow denies it August 22, 2013 Reuters Retrieved August 17, 2017
  20. ^ a b Japan protests after ‘Russian’ plane enters airspace September 16, 2015 News Inquirer Retrieved August 17, 2017
  21. ^ Japan scrambles jets after ‘Russian’ plane enters airspace September 16, 2015 Stars and Stripes Retrieved August 17, 2017
  22. ^ Statistics on scrambles through fiscal year 2015 April 22, 2016 Ministry of Defense Retrieved August 17, 2017
  23. ^ Suspected Russian aircraft violates Japanese airspace near disputed islands September 16, 2017 San Diego Union Tribune Retrieved August 18, 2017
  24. ^ Japan scrambles jets over China drone flight near disputed islets May 18, 2017 Reuters Retrieved August 17, 2017
  25. ^ Drone spotted with Chinese ships in Japan’s territorial waters May 19, 2017 Stars and Stripes Retrieved August 17, 2017