Japan investigating past sightings of suspected reconnaissance balloon

The government is investigating past sightings of balloon-like objects in Japan after the takedown by U.S. forces of a suspected Chinese reconnaissance balloon in the United States.

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihiko Isozaki said at a press conference that investigations into the incidents are ongoing, including possible connections with the incident in the United States.

Balloon-like flying objects were spotted in June 2020 in Sendai and other locations, and in September 2021 in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, according to Isozaki and other sources.

Isozaki didn't answer questions about the response of the Self-Defense Forces on those occasions, citing the classified nature of such information.

If a country s balloon enters Japanese territorial airspace, it would trigger the same response as an intrusion by an airplane into territorial airspace under international laws.

Isozaki said that intrusion into Japan's territorial airspace is a violation even if it is a balloon. If the defense minister orders the aircraft to land or warns it to leave Japanese airspace, we will take measures including scrambling ASDF jets Under the Self-Defense Forces Law.

Under the law, shoot-down responses such as those against ballistic missiles cover only falling objects that are predicted to cause serious damage to people's lives or assets. A reconnaissance balloon does not fall within the boundaries of the law.

A countermeasure must be considered as soon as possible, said a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker who expressed concerns shared by others in the party that the number of suspected reconnaissance balloons coming into Japanese territorial airspace will increase in the future.

Mao Ning, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, said at a press conference on Monday that I don't know about the balloon-like objects seen over Japan in 2020 and 2021.