Chinese military intelligence violated Japanese territorial airspace.
China Violates Japanese Airspace for First Time
In a concerning development, Japan has accused China’s military of violating its airspace near the remote Danjo Islands in the East China Sea on Monday. This marks the first time Tokyo has alleged a People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) aircraft has intruded into Japanese territory, further straining the already tense relations between the two nations. In a concerning development, Japan has accused China’s military of violating its airspace near the remote Danjo Islands in the East China Sea on Monday. Chinese military intelligence violated
Incursion Details
According to a diagram released by Japan’s Defense Ministry, a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane flew in a rectangular pattern off the eastern side of the Danjo Islands before briefly heading west and crossing into the islands’ 12-nautical-mile territorial airspace for approximately two minutes. In response, Japan scrambled Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets, though no direct confrontation with the Chinese aircraft was reported. Chinese military intelligence violated
Japan’s Stern Response
Japan’s Foreign Ministry summoned a senior Chinese diplomat to “protest extremely severely and strongly request the prevention of a recurrence” of such violations. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that “the invasion of our country’s airspace by Chinese military aircraft is not only a serious violation of our country’s sovereignty, but also a threat to our safety, and is completely unacceptable.”
Escalating Tensions
While Japan frequently scrambles jets to confront Chinese military planes approaching its airspace, this is the first reported incursion into its territory. The uninhabited Danjo Islands, located about 100 miles southwest of Nagasaki, are a Japanese national monument and wildlife protection area. This incident comes amid a backdrop of heightened tensions over the Senkaku Islands, which China claims as the Diaoyus. In 2012 and 2017, Chinese aircraft and drones entered airspace around the Senkakus, but this week’s event marks the first time a PLAAF military plane has been accused of such a violation. Analysts warn that any Japanese-Chinese incident in the region raises the risk of a wider conflict due to Japan’s mutual defense treaty with the United States. The Senkaku Islands have been a longstanding source of tension, with both nations claiming the territory as a national birthright.