Japan scrambled jets after Russian and Chinese warplanes neared its airspace as Tokyo was hosting the leaders of the Quad grouping of countries that includes the United States on Tuesday, Japan's Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said. Tokyo conveyed "grave concerns" to both Russia and China through diplomatic channels, Kishi said at a news conference.
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He characterized the incident as a likely provocation by both Beijing and Moscow on a day when US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Australia's newly elected leader, Anthony Albanese, were meeting in Tokyo. "We believe the fact that this action was taken during the Quad summit makes it more provocative than in the past," he said, adding it was the fourth such incident since November.
Russia and China both confirmed they conducted a joint patrol. Russia's Defense Ministry said the patrol lasted 13 hours over the Japanese and East China seas. The exercise was part of an "annual military cooperation plan," China's Defense Ministry said.
The four leaders of the Quad – an informal grouping led by Washington – on Tuesday stressed their determination to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region in the face of an increasingly assertive China.
