Chinese H-6 bombers fly over Miyako Strait in Japan

Three Chinese H- 6 bombers carrying powerful supersonic cruise missiles flew over the Miyako Strait in southern Japan last week. Tokyo claimed the flights were intended to show off the People's Liberation Army's PLA air and naval force coordination.

The Japanese Defence Ministry said that the bombers passed over the Miyako Strait from the East China Sea into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday and then flew back via the same route. This comes days after Japan noticed an increase in Russian and Chinese warship movements near its coast, which Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi described as a show of force. The ministry also released photographs showing two H- 6 J bombers carrying eight YJ 12 anti-ship cruise missiles and an H- 6 J PLA Air Force jet with electronic countermeasure pods for jamming enemy radar, according to South China Morning Post.

The fact that both the PLA Navy and Air Force sent H-6 bombers simultaneously through the strait indicates that the sortie was aimed at enhancing coordination during combat, said Fu Qianshao, a Beijing-based analyst.

The YJ 12 anti-ship cruise missiles, also known as the Eagle Strike missiles, are another version of the ground-based DF 21 D. They are considered a major threat due to their ability to outgun traditional naval defensive systems.

The YJ-21 is a carrier killer, with a range of over 400 km, with a warhead that can reach a target within 30 seconds. The service status of these air-launched ballistic missiles is not known yet, but it is believed to be going through pre-service trials.

Japan has recently been witness to an increase in the presence of enemy vessels around the Japanese home islands. According to Nobuo Kishi, both China and Russia have sent two separate surface action groups to the region since mid-June. Kishi told reporters recently that about 10 Russian and Chinese ships sail around Japan on the same route in a short period is a demonstration of the military presence of both countries around Japan.

Japan has recently announced plans to boost its defense spending and increase its military capability. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday at the G- 7 that Tokyo plans to bolster its defense in five years with a significant increase in military spending.

The Chinese state-backed Global Times responded to Kishida's statement, saying it showed Japan's ambition to gain international support for military expansion ahead of Kishida's attendance at the NATO summit in Spain on Tuesday.