Japan’s Ministry of Defense claims incursions into its airspace by Russian jets have doubled in the past six months.
The Japanese government said Oct. 15 that flight dispatches jumped to 324 from 136 for Russian aircraft in just six months, Reuters reported.
“We don’t know the reason for the increased air activity. That’s something for the Russians to answer,” an official told Reuters during a recent press tour in Hokkaido.
The Russian Ministry of Defense did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment on its story.
Japan and Russia are currently dealing with a territorial dispute over four small islands administered by Japan. Tensions in the region may also be due to Japan’s support of Western sanctions against Moscow over Crimea’s annexation and military operations in eastern Ukraine.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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