Japan Condemns Chinese Aircraft's Incursion into Airspace

A Chinese reconnaissance plane briefly entered Japanese airspace, prompting Japan to scramble fighter jets. This incursion led to strong protests from Japan, with officials highlighting increased Chinese military activity and calling for measures to prevent future incidents.

Japan's top government spokesperson announced on Tuesday that a Chinese military aircraft had briefly breached Japanese airspace the previous day, terming the event an "absolutely unacceptable" violation and safety concern.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi reported that a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane entered Japan's southwestern airspace on Monday, leading Japan's military to deploy fighter jets. This was the first recorded instance of a Chinese military aircraft infiltrating Japanese airspace.

"The Chinese military aircraft's incursion into Japan's airspace not only is a serious violation of our territorial rights but also a safety threat," Hayashi stated during a press conference. The Y-9 circled above Danjo Island off Kyushu for two minutes, after which Japan analyzed the activity. Fighter jets were scrambled, and the Chinese plane was warned to leave.

Hayashi emphasized the escalating and intensifying nature of China's military presence around Japan and vowed to vigilantly monitor and respond to potential violations.

The Foreign Ministry reported that Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano summoned acting Chinese Ambassador Shi Yong to lodge a strong protest and demanded steps to avert such incidents. Japan's military scrambled jets nearly 669 times between April 2023 and March 2024, mostly against Chinese aircraft, raising concerns over China-Russia military cooperation and prompting Japan to bolster defenses in its southwestern region.

(With inputs from agencies.)