Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force made 810 fighter jet scrambles against foreign aircraft that approached the country’s territory in fiscal 2013–the first time since fiscal 1989 the number has topped 800.
The figure was released in a report by the Defense Ministry on April 9.
Scrambles against China, Russia and North Korea were all at the highest levels since fiscal 2001, which was when the ASDF started tallying up the nationality of each foreign aircraft.
Chinese aircraft were scrambled against the most with 415 sorties flown, an increase of 109 sorties compared with the year before.
The Defense Ministry is keeping a close eye on Chinese activity as China expands its area of operations.
Scrambles made against Russian aircraft marked 359 sorties, which was 111 sorties more than the previous fiscal year.
Scrambles against North Korean aircraft were made for the first time in four years, amounting to a total of nine sorties.
