(C) Global TImes

TOKYO — In a clear demonstration of force against escalating regional tensions, the United States and Japan conducted a significant joint tactical exercise in the airspace bordering the East Sea (Sea of Japan) on December 10th. This action came barely 24 hours after a highly provocative joint military drill by Chinese and Russian military aircraft in the same vicinity.

The drill involved a formidable contingent of eight aircraft: two U.S. Air Force B-52 strategic bombers and six fighters from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), which included three F-35 stealth fighters and three F-15s.

Japan's Ministry of Defense, via the Joint Staff Office, issued a statement on the 11th, confirming the exercise was designed to address the "increasingly severe security environment." They emphasized that the training reaffirmed the "strong resolve of Japan and the U.S. not to tolerate unilateral changes to the status quo by force," while simultaneously strengthening the "deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. Alliance."

The counter-drill directly followed a notable Sino-Russian exercise on December 9th, where nine military aircraft from both nations entered and exited the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) in the East and South Seas. Significantly, this joint maneuver also marked the first-ever joint flight of Chinese and Russian bombers extending to the Pacific south of Japan's Shikoku island, coinciding with a Chinese aircraft carrier (Liaoning) voyage. Furthermore, Chinese J-16 fighters joined the bombers as they flew between Okinawa and Miyako-jima, a sensitive area where a Chinese carrier-based jet had recently directed radar illumination at a JASDF F-15.

While the U.S. and Japan did not explicitly frame the December 10th exercise as a direct response, its timing and scale leave little doubt that it served as a powerful signal. The U.S. State Department spokesperson had previously commented on the 9th, stating that China’s actions "do not contribute to regional peace and stability," and affirmed that the "U.S.-Japan alliance is stronger and more united than ever."

Regional observers view this quick-reaction exercise as an unmistakable effort by Washington and Tokyo to showcase the readiness and combined might of their alliance, aiming to deter further military assertiveness from the growing strategic partnership between Beijing and Moscow. The rapid escalation of military maneuvers is raising concerns about the stability of the Northeast Asian geopolitical landscape.