- Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force conducted 79 emergency fighter scrambles in December 2025, more than double the previous month, according to data released by the Joint Staff Office.
- Chinese aircraft accounted for 53 scrambles and Russian aircraft for 23, reflecting increased activity around Japan’s airspace.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense reported a sharp increase in Air Self-Defense Force emergency fighter scrambles in December 2025, with aircraft launched 79 times to intercept foreign military aircraft approaching Japanese airspace, according to data released by the Joint Staff Office on January 16, 2026.
The total represented an increase of 46 scrambles compared with November and marked the highest monthly figure recorded in the second half of the year, the ministry said. The data covers the period through December 31, 2025, and reflects airspace monitoring operations conducted nationwide.
According to the Joint Staff Office, Chinese military aircraft accounted for 53 of the December scrambles, while Russian aircraft were responsible for 23. An additional three launches were attributed to aircraft categorized as “other,” a designation used when origin is not immediately confirmed. No scrambles were recorded in response to North Korean or Taiwanese aircraft during the month.
The December figure brought the total number of scrambles for the 2025 calendar year to 448, continuing a pattern of elevated air activity near Japan that has been observed throughout the year. The monthly data shows that scramble activity peaked twice in the final quarter, with 71 launches in October and 79 in December, following a brief dip in November.
Regionally, most of the December scrambles occurred in Japan’s southwestern airspace, which recorded 54 launches, according to the ministry’s breakdown. Northern airspace accounted for six scrambles, western airspace for 11, and central airspace for eight. The southwestern region, which includes approaches near Okinawa and the East China Sea, has consistently recorded the highest activity throughout 2025.
As noted by the Joint Staff Office, the majority of Chinese aircraft activity continued to originate from the East China Sea and the western Pacific, including flights that transited between Taiwan and Japan’s southwestern islands. Russian aircraft activity was primarily observed near northern Japan and the Sea of Japan, consistent with previous years’ patterns.
Japan’s emergency scrambles are conducted when foreign military aircraft approach its airspace without prior notification or when their flight paths raise concerns about airspace security. The missions typically involve F-15 or F-35 fighters identifying the aircraft visually and escorting them away from Japan’s airspace. No airspace violations were reported in December, the ministry said.
The Ministry of Defense emphasized that scramble figures reflect operational responses and not hostile actions. Still, officials noted that the sustained tempo places a continuous burden on personnel, aircraft, and maintenance cycles across the Air Self-Defense Force.