Japan closely monitors China's airspace violation explanation
Japanese officials are closely monitoring China's explanation for a recent airspace violation by a Chinese military aircraft. The Y-9 reconnaissance plane briefly entered Japanese airspace off the southern main island of Kyushu on August 26, prompting Japan's military to scramble fighter jets and warn the plane.
China claims the violation was unintentional and caused by turbulence, but Japanese officials remain skeptical. They find the significant deviation from the flight route unacceptable and a serious breach of territorial sovereignty.
Following the incident, Japan protested and sought an explanation from Beijing. China acknowledged the airspace violation and assured Japan that it would make efforts to prevent a recurrence. However, Japanese officials remain concerned about China's growing military activity around Japan's southwestern waters and airspace.
This incident adds to Japan's concerns about China's military activities in the region. In August, a Chinese survey ship violated Japanese territorial waters off a southern island. In September, the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning and two destroyers sailed between Japan's westernmost island of Yonaguni and nearby Iriomote, entering Japan's "contiguous zone."
Japan has significantly reinforced its defenses in the area, including remote islands considered key to its defense strategy. The country is also worried about joint military activities between China and Russia.