US nuclear-capable bombers conducted a high-profile flight over the Sea of Japan on Wednesday alongside Japanese fighter jets, marking a show of force in response to recent Chinese and Russian military drills around Japan and South Korea. The operation involved two US B-52 strategic bombers escorted by three Japanese F-35 stealth fighters and three F-15 air-superiority jets, representing the first US military assertion in the area since China began its exercises last week.
Japan’s defence ministry stated that the joint flight reaffirmed the strong resolve of both Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) and US forces to prevent any unilateral attempts to alter the regional status quo by force. The mission also underscored the readiness posture of both nations’ military forces amid escalating tensions in the East China Sea and Western Pacific.
The US-Japan flight followed a recent joint sortie by Chinese and Russian strategic bombers in the region, alongside Chinese aircraft carrier drills that prompted Japan to scramble jets after detecting radar targeting. Washington criticized the Chinese-Russian maneuvers, describing them as “not conducive to regional peace and stability,” while reaffirming the strength of its alliance with Japan.
Both Japan and South Korea host substantial US military forces, with Japan housing the largest overseas concentration of American power, including an aircraft carrier strike group and a US Marine expeditionary force. China rejected Tokyo’s claims, accusing Japanese jets of endangering its air operations south of Japan, while South Korea reported scrambling fighter jets in response to Chinese and Russian aircraft entering its air defense identification zone, a perimeter extending beyond national airspace for early warning purposes.
Meanwhile, Chinese military operations near Taiwan remain frequent, as part of what Taipei describes as ongoing pressure campaigns. Taiwan’s defence ministry reported that Chinese J-16 fighters and H-6 bombers carried out long-range training in the Western Pacific on Wednesday, passing south of Taiwan, demonstrating the continued intensity of Chinese military activities in the region.
