Japan's Air Self-Defense Force scrambled fighter jets more often during the first half of the current fiscal year compared to the same period last year, mainly against Chinese aircraft.

The Defense Ministry says ASDF jets were scrambled 446 times against foreign aircraft approaching Japan's airspace from April through September. The figure is up 56, or 14 percent, from the same period last year.

Scrambles against Chinese aircraft took place 340 times. They account for 76 percent of the total, up 20 percent from the year before.

The number of scrambles against Russian aircraft was 95.

Ministry officials say Chinese aircraft made repeated takeoffs and landings from its aircraft carrier deployed in the Pacific, south of Japan's Okinawa Prefecture.

Officials say Chinese bombers also made long distance flights jointly with Russia's military. They add that in some cases, longer flights by Chinese military drones prompted ASDF jets to scramble multiple times.