In its report, Tokyo states that the strengthening military coordination between China, Russia, and North Korea increases the risk to Japan’s security. As an example, Japan points to provocative patrols by Chinese and Russian bombers and Moscow’s support for the modernization of North Korea’s military.
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The report notes that last December, Chinese and Russian bombers for the first time after a flight over Japan’s southern islands turned towards Tokyo. The aircraft turned back before reaching Japanese airspace.
In June this year, China and Russia sent bombers on a similar route, the document states.
“Joint flights of Chinese and Russian bombers, as well as naval military exercises, are clearly intended to demonstrate power against our country and pose a serious threat to national security,” the document says.
Exercises have become more aggressive
Since 2019, joint flights of Chinese and Russian strategic bombers near Japan have been conducted at least once a year. However, Bloomberg notes that recently such exercises have become “more aggressive” against the backdrop of Japan’s statements regarding Taiwan.
Riho Aizawa, a researcher at the National Institute for Defense Studies in Tokyo, believes this indicates closer coordination of actions between China and Russia, sending political signals through military exercises.
“Currently, the relationship between China and Russia is such that China, supported by Russian military power, can pressure Japan when it aligns with China’s political interests,” wrote R. Aizawa, quoted by Bloomberg.
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In 2026, the Japanese military began responding more frequently to joint air threats from China and Russia. Data published by the Japanese Ministry of Defense in July showed that the number of Japanese fighter jet takeoffs to monitor Chinese or Russian aircraft flying near Japan reached a three-year high in the first quarter of the year.
Destroyer fired machine gun
Besides threats from the air, Japan fears the activity of Chinese and Russian naval forces. In July, Tokyo stated it observed a Chinese destroyer firing a machine gun in Japan’s exclusive economic zone near an island in the Pacific Ocean. Earlier, this destroyer was seen in the area accompanied by a Russian frigate and another Chinese warship.
The report states that the military alliance signed between Russia and North Korea in 2024 also supports Pyongyang in developing weaponry. It highlights North Korea’s “very rapid” progress in missile development, including advanced hypersonic missiles.
Russia increases North Korea’s military power
“There are concerns that military cooperation with Russia will increase North Korea’s military power in the medium and long term,” the statement says.
Although there are no obvious signs of trilateral military coordination between China, Russia, and North Korea, the Japanese document notes the joint participation of these countries’ leaders in a military parade in Beijing in September 2025.
On July 9, the publication Der Spiegel reported that as early as 2023, China offered Russia several of its technological achievements in loitering munitions, air defense and missile defense, and artificial intelligence. Russia tested these technologies in Ukraine under real combat conditions and shared the test results with China.
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