U.S. and Japan flex military muscles in a show of force amid Tokyo’s feud with Beijing

SEOUL, South Korea — The United States sent nuclear-capable bombers, accompanied by Japanese fighter jets over the Sea of Japan in the first military show of force by the two allies since a bitter feud erupted between Japan and China last month.

The drills included two U.S. B-52 strategic bombers and six Japanese F-35 and F-15 fighter jets, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry’s Joint Staff.

“This bilateral exercise reaffirms the strong will between Japan and U.S. not to tolerate unilateral changes to the status quo by force,” Japan’s Joint Staff said in a statement — language that Japan often uses to refer to the status of Taiwan, a self-governed island that China claims as part of its territory.

This follows joint drills by Chinese and Russian strategic bombers and fighters on Tuesday that prompted Japan and South Korea to scramble planes to monitor them. South Korea lodged a diplomatic protest over the incident.

Japan and China have also recently traded accusations that the other side locked weapon targeting radars onto its planes, during Chinese aircraft carrier drills in waters near Japan.

China’s busy navy

Japan has noted an increase in Chinese military activity around southwest Japan’s Okinawa prefecture, which includes several islands close to Taiwan. “China’s naval operations are unusually active, and we’ve seen an expansion in the regions where it operates,” Akira Saito, chief of staff of Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force, told reporters.

Japan is concerned some of the drills are a pressure tactic related to a monthlong feud between Beijing and Tokyo.

The dispute erupted after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Nov. 7 that a Chinese naval blockade of Taiwan could justify mobilizing Japan’s military.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun countered that China’s exercises were routine, and in line with international law. “The Japanese side has no need to make a fuss about nothing or to take this personally,” Guo told a press briefing.

Trump focusing on China deal

The U.S. is currently focused on trying to implement what Washington describes as a trade deal agreed on by President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the end of October.

The Trump administration had not criticized China over the dispute with Japan until this week, when the State Department told Reuters, “China’s actions are not conducive to regional peace and stability,” and the administration’s “commitment to our ally Japan is unwavering.” The State Department did not immediately respond to NPR’s request for comment.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said in a notice on its website that Defense Minister Junichiro Koizumi is scheduled to speak by phone with his U.S. counterpart Pete Hegseth on Friday.