Japan Protests After Chinese Reconnaissance Plane Briefly Enters Airspace

Japan has formally protested after a Chinese military aircraft briefly entered its airspace on Monday. Chinese Reconnaissance Plane condemned the incident as an “absolutely unacceptable” violation of Japanese territorial rights and a safety threat.
According to Hayashi, the Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane entered Japan’s southwestern airspace near Danjo Island, off Kyushu, for approximately two minutes. This marked the first instance of a Chinese military aircraft detected within Japanese airspace, prompting the Japanese Self Defense Force to scramble fighter jets.
“The Chinese military aircraft’s incursion is not only a serious violation of our territorial rights but also a significant safety threat,” Hayashi stated during a news conference. He emphasized Japan’s firm stance against such violations and expressed ongoing concerns about China’s expanding military activities around Japan.
In response, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that China has “no intention” of violating any country’s airspace and that “the competent Chinese authorities are learning and verifying the situation.”
The Japanese Foreign Ministry has summoned acting Chinese Ambassador Shi Yong to deliver a strong protest and demand measures to prevent future incidents. The Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano has called on China to take steps to avoid such airspace violations.
Japan’s military reported scrambling jets nearly 669 times from April 2023 to March 2024, with around 70% of these incidents involving Chinese military aircraft, though not all were related to airspace violations. Growing concerns about China’s military cooperation with Russia and its assertive activities in Japanese waters and airspace have led Japan to bolster its defenses, particularly around its southwestern islands.