Japan mum on report of scrambling F-15s to intercept possible NKorean plane

TOKYO (AFP) Apr 09, 2003
The Japanese government refused to confirm a report Wednesday that it had recently scrambled two fighter jets to intercept at least one unidentified plane that might have come from North Korea.

"We cannot comment on the report," said a spokesman for the Japan Air Self Defense Force (ASDF).

The unidentified plane temporarily entered the Japanese air defense identification zone above the Sea of Japan on April 1, the Mainichi Shimbun said, citing sources related to the matter.

"The unidentified plane left before Japanese jets arrived in the area," the Mainichi said.

"The Japan Self Defense Force believes there is high possibility that it was a fighter from North Korea, responding to Japan's recent raising of its alert level and monitoring of North Korea," the Mainichi said.

As the unidentified plane headed toward Japan, it failed to respond to requests by the ASDF to identify itself, the Mainichi said.

After Japan scrambled two F-15 fighters from Ishikawa Prefecture, 300 kilometers (187 miles) west of Tokyo, the unidentified plane left the area and the Japanese jets returned to base, the Mainichi said.

The ASDF spokesman said his agency scrambles jets about 150 times a year to immediately respond to unidentified planes picked up on its monitoring equipment.

SPACE.WIRE