
To be fair, during the Cold War decades, JASDF personnel tried to defect.
For example, on 24 June 1962, a ground mechanic borrowed a T-33A (81-5361, #361) of 7th Hikoutai, 4th Koukuudan, JASDF, based at Matsushima AB, Miyagi Prefecture, but he failed to take off, overran runway, crashed, and wounded himself.
To prevent pursuit by two F-86F on alert duty, he damaged or sabotaged their landing gear.
For another example, on 23 June 1973, another ground mechanic borrowed a LM-1 (JG-1005, 21005) of JGSDF, based at JGSDF Kita Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture.
Reportedly, he was drunk, managed to take off, disappeared into the night, and presumably crashed into sea, somewhere.
FYI, the editors of this http://www.f-16.net site can confirm I know a lot about military aviation accidents in Japan. 8D