TOKYO — Japan has strongly condemned a recent breach of its airspace by a Chinese military aircraft, calling it “utterly unacceptable.” The statement came from Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi on Tuesday, following an incident on Monday where Japan scrambled fighter jets and summoned a Chinese embassy official in protest.
The airspace violation was described as a “serious breach of Japan’s sovereignty” and a threat to the country’s security, Hayashi stated during a regular press conference. He emphasized that the Japanese government is closely monitoring the increasing Chinese military activity near its borders and is prepared to respond to any further violations.
According to Japan’s defense ministry, the incident involved a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane that flew over the Danjo Islands, located to the west of Kyushu, for approximately two minutes on Monday morning. This event marks the first time China’s military has breached Japanese airspace.
Japan has previously experienced airspace violations by Chinese non-military aircraft, including an incident involving a China State Oceanic Administration plane in 2012 and a China Coast Guard drone in 2017.
In response to Japan’s protests, the Chinese foreign ministry stated on Tuesday that its departments are still assessing the situation. Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the ministry, mentioned during a regular press conference that “the two sides have maintained communication through existing working channels.” He also asserted that “China has no intention of invading the airspace of any country.”