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Korea-Japan refueling rift may leave Black Eagles grounded

Published: 06 Nov. 2025, 18:28

The Air Force’s Black Eagles perform an aerial demonstration during a ceremony marking the 77th Armed Forces Day at the Gyeryongdae military headquarters in South Chungcheong on Oct. 1. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

A diplomatic rift has emerged between Korea and Japan after Tokyo abruptly suspended permission for the Korean Air Force’s Black Eagles aerobatic team to refuel in Japan en route to the Dubai Airshow, a move that could prevent the team’s participation altogether if not reversed by this weekend.

The Air Force has reportedly set Saturday as the deadline for Japan to rescind its suspension, saying that the team’s participation in the Dubai Airshow, set to begin Nov. 17 in the United Arab Emirates, would otherwise be “virtually impossible.”

The issue comes just a week after President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged in Gyeongju to build “future-oriented Korea-Japan relations.” Both governments are now focusing on containing the situation to prevent it from escalating into a diplomatic dispute.

The defense ministries of Korean and Japan had coordinated in September to allow the Black Eagles to stop over and refuel at Naha Air Base, operated by Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force, on their way to the airshow, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

In previous years, including during the 2022 to 2024 Singapore Airshows, the Black Eagles had refueled at Kaohsiung International Airport in southern Taiwan. This year would have marked the first time the team used a Japanese base — either a U.S. military facility or one belonging to the Japan Self-Defense Forces — based on an agreement between the two governments.

The Black Eagles, an aerobatic flight team of the Korean Air Force, typically travel with nine T-50B aircraft, a C-130 transport plane and around 100 service members for international airshows.

Korean President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi [EPA/YONHAP]

“There had been high expectations that this would serve as a symbolic event to strengthen security cooperation between Korea and Japan,” one government source said, reflecting the Lee administration’s policy of maintaining momentum in Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral defense ties.

However, the plan unraveled late last month when Japan raised objections to the team’s training flight near Dokdo, the easternmost islets controlled by Korea but “claimed” by Japan.

The team conducted a routine drill over the East Sea near Dokdo on Sept. 28, which Japanese authorities detected and subsequently cited as grounds to withdraw permission for the Naha stopover. Japan’s Foreign Ministry also sent a letter of protest to the Korean counterpart.

The team had been scheduled to arrive at Naha Air Base on Wednesday, but the suspension left their itinerary in limbo.

Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a press conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo, Japan, Oct. 21. [AP/YONHAP]

Deadline looms

The Air Force believes that if Tokyo does not reverse its decision by Saturday, the team will be unable to reach Dubai in time. They must refuel at least twice — Japan and one other stop — before arriving by Monday or Tuesday to conduct on-site training.

Some within the military have criticized the delayed notification from Japan, noting that alternative routes, such as Kaohsiung, could not be secured due to the late timing. Airspace coordination and flight notices such as Notice to Air Missions (Notam) typically require about a month’s advance approval.

Japan reportedly informed Korea of the decision in late October, shortly before Takaichi traveled to Seoul for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

The Yomiuri Shimbun reported Sunday that while Takaichi “had hoped to go ahead with the refueling plan,” many within her government objected, saying “it would be difficult to gain public understanding” given domestic sensitivities surrounding Dokdo.

President Lee Jae Myung, center, takes a question during a press conference about the results of the two-day APEC summit at the International Media Center in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Nov. 1. [AP/YONHAP]

Both sides focus on damage control

Both governments have so far refrained from escalating the matter publicly. Korea’s Defense Ministry and Foreign Ministry said Thursday they had “no particular comment” on the issue — a sign, analysts say, of a deliberate effort to prevent a diplomatic clash during what both leaders have described as a “honeymoon period.”

Following last Saturday’s summit, President Lee described Takaichi as giving “a very good impression,” adding, “We agreed that if there are problems, we will resolve them, and if there are challenges, we will cooperate to overcome them.”

Takaichi likewise told reporters that she recognized “the importance of Korea-Japan and Korea-U.S.-Japan relations under the current strategic environment,” adding that “although there are issues, they will be managed through leadership on both sides.”

This mood of restraint continued during Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back’s meeting with Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi on Saturday in Kuala Lumpur. Their joint statement only said the two “exchanged opinions on Korea-Japan defense cooperation,” without mentioning the Black Eagles incident.

Japan's Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, front left, leaves the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo after a visit on the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II on Aug. 15. [AP/YONHAP]

Exposure of ACSA limits

Should the Black Eagles ultimately cancel their participation in the airshow, observers say the fallout could expose deeper structural limits in the bilateral defense framework — particularly the lack of a Korea-Japan Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA).

In 2012, the Lee Myung-bak administration sought to sign the ACSA simultaneously with the signing of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (Gsomia), but only Gsomia was concluded due to strong domestic backlash over the possibility of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces operating on the Korean Peninsula.

Because Korea and Japan are not ACSA signatories, their defense authorities have no legal basis to exchange military supplies such as aviation fuel. The Japanese side had reportedly considered providing fuel under certain provisions of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces Act.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE YU-JUNG, SHIM SEOK-YONG [[email protected]]