Japan says it will watch China’s military activity after Beijing admits violating Japanese airspace

Japanese officials announced 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 Chinese military aircraft inadvertently entered Japanese airspace near the southern main island of Kyushu on August 26, causing Japan to scramble fighter jets and issue a warning to the plane.

Tokyo promptly lodged a protest with Beijing and requested an explanation for the airspace violation. In response, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that China acknowledged the incident and promised to take measures to avoid a recurrence.

Despite China attributing the airspace violation to turbulence that forced the pilot to take emergency action, Japanese officials emphasized that such a significant deviation from the flight route is concerning. NHK public television reported that Japan’s defense officials still view the incident as an unacceptable breach of territorial sovereignty.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian refrained from confirming the details provided by Japanese officials. He simply stated that both countries’ diplomatic and defense ministries are engaged in communication on the matter and reiterated China’s commitment to respecting the airspace of other nations.

The incident has raised alarm in Japan about China’s increasing military presence in the region, particularly in the southwestern waters and airspace near remote islands crucial to Japan’s defense strategy. Japanese authorities have bolstered their defenses in response to these developments.

Furthermore, Japan has expressed concerns over joint military activities between China and Russia. In addition to the airspace violation, a Chinese survey ship trespassed into Japanese territorial waters off a southern island in August. Subsequently, in September, the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning and two destroyers sailed through Japan’s “contiguous zone” near Yonaguni Island, prompting Japan to monitor the situation closely.

The growing military assertiveness of China in the region has prompted Japan to remain vigilant and enhance its defense capabilities. The incident serves as a reminder of the delicate dynamics in the East China Sea and the importance of maintaining territorial integrity and sovereignty.