The Japanese government reacted strongly to a Chinese military aircraft’s incursion into its airspace, calling it “a serious infringement of our sovereignty.”
Reports from The Asahi Shimbun and other sources indicate that a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance aircraft entered Japanese airspace over the waters off Nagasaki Prefecture around 11:29 AM on Monday and remained there for about two minutes.
Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force quickly scrambled fighter jets to intercept the aircraft. The Chinese military plane turned back and returned to mainland China around 1:15 PM that day.
During a press conference that day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno described the incident as “a serious infringement of Japan’s sovereignty and a threat to our safety, which we cannot accept.” He added that the Japanese government lodged a strong protest through diplomatic channels on the 26th and demanded China take measures to prevent such recurrence.
Japan’s Defense Minister Minoru Kihara commented that, given the circumstances, it is difficult to understand the intentions behind China’s actions. However, he emphasized that Japan would continue to monitor China’s military activities closely.
The Chinese government acknowledged that it is investigating the situation but denied any intention to violate Japanese airspace.
During a briefing that day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded to questions about the incursion and Japan’s summoning of the Chinese ambassador by saying, “Relevant departments in China are understanding and confirming the situation.”
Lin added that both countries are communicating through existing channels, reiterating that China has no intention of infringing on any country’s airspace.
While Chinese aircraft have entered Japanese airspace twice in the past, this marks the first time a military aircraft has done so.
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