Drones from China have caused the Air Self-Defense Force to scramble jets 12 times since August 2021. In the eight years before then, dating to September 2013, the ASDF only had three such scrambles.
China's rapid increase in drone flights in the East China Sea and its vicinity are believed to be laying the groundwork for a Taiwan contingency.
According to the Defense Ministry, the ASDF scrambles jets when there is a threat of airspace violations based on an analysis of flight routes.
