Japan and Russia have reported simultaneous air operations over the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk, which comes amid a new escalation of regional surveillance operations.
On Friday, October 24, 2025, Japan’s Ministry of Defense announced that a fighter jet from the Northern Air Defense Force was scrambled following a suspected violation of Japanese airspace over the Okhotsk Sea.
According to the statement, the Self-Defense Forces Air Force (JASDF) aircraft immediately took off and conducted interception and surveillance missions, reinforcing Japan’s efforts to maintain 24-hour readiness, 365 days a year, to defend the homeland and ensure the safety of its people.
Russia releases footage of long-duration strategic flight
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At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defense (Минобороны России) launched a long-range aviation strategic bomber Tu-95MS announced that it had conducted a planned flight of over 11 hours over the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan.
According to Moscow, the aircraft is a fighter jet of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) Su-35S and Su-30SM The aircraft was escorted by foreign fighter jets in certain sections.
The Ministry of Defense said that all flights were carried out in full compliance with international aviation regulations, stressing that these missions are also regularly carried out over the Arctic, North Atlantic, Pacific, Black Sea and Baltic Sea skies.
Tensions and increased surveillance in the Asia-Pacific region
Although both governments have described these operations as routine and defensive, the incident comes in the context of increased military activity in the Asia-Pacific region.
Experts say the combination of Russia’s strategic flights and Japan’s rapid response demonstrates the high degree of surveillance and air readiness that both countries maintain in an increasingly geopolitically sensitive situation.
Source: Ministry of Defense of Japan – X @jointstaffpa | Ministry of Defense of Russia – Telegram @mod_russia. This content was created with the help of AI and proofread by our editorial team.
