Chinese, Russian Fighter Jets Flew Near Tokyo While Quad Meet Was Underway: Japan

Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi said that “grave concerns” were expressed by the Japanese government to Russia and China over the joint flights which took place while Quad meeting took place.

Quad leaders Australian Prime Minister Anthoney Albanese, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister Narednra Modi ( Image Source :AFP )

New Delhi: Chinese and Russian fighter jets conducted joint flights near Japan as the Quad leaders held a meeting in Tokyo, said the Japanese Defence Minister, reported news agency AFP. 

Reacting to the incident, Nobuo Kishi said that “grave concerns” were expressed by the Japanese government to Russia and China over the joint flights which took place while leaders from the United States, Australia, India, and Japan held talks on regional security. 

The Defence Ministry told the news agency that the planes did not breach territorial airspace adding that it is the fourth time since November that long-distance flights by Russia and China have been spotted near Japan. 

"Two Chinese bombers joined two Russian bombers in the Sea of Japan and made a joint flight to the East China Sea," Kishi told reporters. 

VIDEO: Chinese H-6K bombers and Russian Tu-95MS bombers conducted regular joint strategic patrols above the Sea of Japan, E.China Sea and West Pacific on Tue. The aircraft abided by intl regulations and did not violate any other country's airspace: Russian Defense Ministry pic.twitter.com/771mVKjqW0

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"After that, a total of four aircraft, two presumed (new) Chinese bombers -- which replaced the two Chinese bombers -- and two Russian bombers, conducted a joint flight from the East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean."

He added that a Russian intelligence-gathering aircraft also flew off north Hokkaido to the Noto Peninsula in central Japan on Tuesday, calling the moves especially “provocative” given the summit in Tokyo. 

In a veiled attack on China and Russia — over the Ukraine war and other activities that Beijing has been accused of — the Quad bloc in a joint statement on Tuesday warned against attempts to “change the status quo by force.” 

Kishi said Japan had "communicated through diplomatic routes our grave concerns from the perspective of our country's and the region's security". 

"As the international community responds to Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the fact that China took such action in collaboration with Russia, which is the aggressor, is cause for concern. It cannot be overlooked."