Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

Japanese Scrambled Fewer Fighters Against Foreign Aircraft Last Year, Says MoD

Russian and Chinese aircraft flight patterns in FY 2022. Japanese Ministry of Defense Photo.

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force carried out a total of 612 fighter scrambles against foreign aircraft by the end of the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2022, a decrease from a total of 785 scrambles in the same period for FY 2021, according to a report released Friday by the Joint Staff Office of Japan’s Ministry of Defense.

Of the scrambles for the FY 2022 period, which covers April 1 through Dec. 31, 75...

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/20/japanese-scrambled-fewer-fighters-against-foreign-aircraft-last-year

CNO Gilday: Expanding Military Cooperation Between South Korea, Japan ‘A Necessity’

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday delivers testimony at the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the fiscal year 2023 defense budget request on May 12, 2022. US Navy Photo

The Navy’s top officer stressed the need for “a forward-looking relationship” between Japan, South Korea and the United States. “It’s no longer a luxury but a necessity” that the three nations work together, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said Thursday.

Examples of the improved trilateral...

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/13/cno-gilday-expanding-military-cooperation-between-south-korea-japan-a-necessity

PLAN Surface Action Group Operating in East China Sea; Japan and U.S. to Hold Security Talks

People’s Liberation Army Navy destroyer CNS Kaifeng (124). JSDF Photo

A People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) surface action group and surveillance ship have returned to the East China Sea from the Pacific Ocean after operating there for the last few weeks.
On Monday at 11 p.m., three PLAN ships were sighted sailing northwest in an area 160 kilometers southeast of Yonaguni island, according to a Wednesday news release from Japan’s Joint Staff Office (JSO) of the Ministry of Defense. Yonaguni...

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/06/plan-surface-action-group-operating-in-east-china-sea-japan-and-u-s-to-hold-security-talks

Japanese MoD Releases New Details on Ballistic Missile Defense Ships

Artist’s impression of future Japanese BMD ship. JSDF Photo

The Japanese Ministry of Defense released last week new details on Tokyo’s plan to build two ballistic missile defense warships to counter North Korean missiles.

On Dec. 23, the MoD released additional details on the two BMD ships Japan elected to procure after canceling two planned Aegis Ashore BMD batteries, reported Naval News.

“The document released by the MoD describes the need for two vessels to let the other AEGIS vessels focus on...

https://news.usni.org/2022/12/27/japanese-mod-releases-details-on-ballistic-missile-defense-ships

Chinese Warships, Russian Bombers Operate Near Japan

JSDF Image

People’s Liberation Army Navy ships transited through Japanese straits this week, while Russian bombers and fighters flew near Japan’s territorial airspace, according to the Japanese Ministry of Defense.

On Monday at 8 p.m., a PLAN Dongdiao-class surveillance ship with the hull number 796 was sighted sailing southeast in an area 140 kilometers west of Kuchinoerabu Island, which lies 130 kilometers south of Kyushu, according to Wednesday news release issued by the Joint Staff Office of...

https://news.usni.org/2022/12/15/chinese-warships-russian-bombers-operate-near-japan

Japan, Italy, U.K. Enter Collaboration to Develop Next Generation Fighter

Concept photo of the fighter to be developed under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).

Japan, Italy and the United Kingdom, on Friday, announced a joint collaboration to develop a next-generation fighter aircraft by 2035.

The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) will merge the U.K.-led Future Air Combat System (FACS) –also known as “ Tempest” – that includes Italy as a participant with the Japanese F-X program.

The United States supports the three countries’ collaboration, and both the U.S. and...

https://news.usni.org/2022/12/09/japan-italy-u-k-enter-collaboration-to-develop-next-generation-fighter

U.S. and Japan Prepare for Joint Exercise; U.S. Wraps up Drills with Allies in South China Sea

U.S. Marines with Marine Air Control Squadron 4 prepare to off-load ammunition from a KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft during Resolute Dragon 22 on Camp Betsukai, Hokkaido, Japan, Oct. 8, 2022. U.S. Marine Corps Photo

The United States and Japan are preparing for a large-scale joint exercise in Japan next month, the Japanese government announced today.

Exercise Keen Sword will involve 36,000 personnel, 30 ships and 270 aircraft from the two countries, along with the crews of four ships and three...

https://news.usni.org/2022/10/21/u-s-and-japan-prepare-for-joint-exercise-u-s-wraps-up-drills-with-allies-in-south-china-sea

Chinese Aircraft Carrier Deployment Prompted Record Japanese Fighter Scrambles

A People’s Liberation Army Navy J-15 carrier fighter takes off from Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning (16) on May 20, 2022. Japanese MoD Photo

In a six-month period from April to September, Japanese fighters scrambled 446 times to intercept threatening aircraft from China and Russia, according to the Japanese Ministry of Defense.
Many of the aircraft intercepted belonged to the air wing embarked on the People’s Liberation Army Navy aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning (16).

The Japan Air Self-Defense...

https://news.usni.org/2022/10/17/chinese-aircraft-carrier-deployment-prompted-record-japanese-fighter-scrambles

Japanese Warships Return Home Following First Phase of Indo-Pacific Deployment

Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Oyashio-class submarine with JMSDF destroyer JS Takanami (DD-110), U.S. Navy destroyer USS Higgins (DDG-76), Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Winnipeg (FFH338) and JMSDF destroyer helicopter carrier JS Izumo (DDH-183) sail in formation in the South China Sea during exercise Noble Raven 22-2. Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Photo

Japan Maritime Self Defense Force’s (JMSDF) first surface unit of its Indo-Pacific Deployment 2022 (IPD22) — helicopter carrier JS Izu...

https://news.usni.org/2022/10/06/japanese-warships-return-home-following-first-phase-of-indo-pacific-deployment

U.S. Carrier Reagan Drilling With Japan, South Korea as North Korea Tests Missiles; VP Harris Calls Out Chinese Aggression

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), and USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), steam in formation with Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy ships in waters east of the Korean Peninsula, Sept. 29, 2022. US Navy Photo

A U.S. carrier strike group is holding an anti-submarine warfare exercise with the South Korean and Japanese navies as North Korea holds ballistic missile tests nearby. Meanwhile, the Russian Navy and China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) combined surface action group is now operating near Japan in a...

https://news.usni.org/2022/09/30/u-s-carrier-reagan-drilling-with-japan-south-korea-as-north-korea-tests-missiles-vp-harris-calls-out-chinese-aggression

+ More
Join Our Newsletter
Enter your email to receive a weekly round-up of shipping news.
icon
By subscribing, you agree with our privacy policy and our terms of service.