Japanese officials said on Wednesday that they are closely monitoring China's compliance with its commitment to prevent further violations of Japan's airspace. This comes after a recent incident where a Chinese military aircraft unintentionally entered Japanese airspace due to turbulence.
The intrusion occurred on August 26 when a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane briefly entered Japanese airspace near the southern main island of Kyushu. In response, Japan scrambled fighter jets and lodged a protest with Beijing. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that China acknowledged the violation and assured Japan that measures would be taken to avoid a recurrence.
According to Japan's Foreign Ministry, China explained that the airspace violation was a result of the pilot taking emergency measures in response to turbulence, emphasizing that it was not intentional. While turbulence can affect aircraft, Japanese officials deemed the deviation from the flight route as unacceptable.
Japanese defense officials expressed their dissatisfaction with the airspace violation, considering it a serious breach of territorial sovereignty. The incident has raised concerns in Japan about China's increasing military activities in the region, prompting Tokyo to bolster its defenses, particularly around remote islands crucial to its defense strategy.
China's growing military presence near Japan's southwestern waters and airspace has also raised alarms in Tokyo. Recent activities, such as a Chinese survey ship violating Japanese territorial waters and the passage of the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning and two destroyers through Japan's contiguous zone, have heightened tensions between the two countries.
Japanese officials are closely monitoring Chinese military activities and remain vigilant about safeguarding their territorial integrity amidst the escalating tensions in the region.
