Japan says military cooperation between China, Russia and North Korea is intensifying

Japan has stated that military cooperation between China, Russia and North Korea is intensifying and poses a growing threat to the countryʼs security.

This is reported by Bloomberg.

A Japanese Defense Ministry document says Russia and China are increasingly conducting joint strategic bomber flights and naval exercises near Japan, which Tokyo sees as a show of force and a serious threat to national security.

The Ministry of Defense recalled that in December 2025, Chinese and Russian bombers first flew over the southern islands of Japan and headed towards Tokyo, although they later turned around without entering the countryʼs airspace. They repeated a similar route in June of this year.

The report also emphasized that the military alliance between Russia and the DPRK, concluded in 2024, contributes to the development of North Korean weapons. This refers to Pyongyangʼs rapid progress in creating missiles, including hypersonic ones.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, in the first quarter of 2026, the number of sorties by Japanese fighter jets to escort Chinese and Russian military aircraft near the country reached a maximum in the past three years.

Separately, Tokyo has reported increased activity by the Chinese and Russian navies. In particular, in July, Japanese authorities said that a Chinese destroyer opened machine gun fire within Japanʼs exclusive economic zone after passing together with a Russian frigate and another Chinese warship.

In addition, for the first time, the annual report includes a section on the development of Japanʼs defense industry. It emphasizes the need to increase weapons production, as well as the development of unmanned technologies and artificial intelligence systems for modern warfare.

• In May 2026, Russia and China signed an agreement in Beijing to jointly build a new railway line across the border between the countries. The parties also agreed to extend the visa-free regime between the countries until the end of 2027.

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