On Tuesday, August 27, a spokesperson for the Japanese government stated that the violation of Japanese airspace by Chinese military aircraft is “completely unacceptable.” The day before, Japan scrambled at least four fighter jets to intercept a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance aircraft that intruded into its airspace, and summoned officials from the Chinese Embassy in Japan to protest the incident.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, during a routine press briefing on Tuesday, emphasized that the Chinese incursion into Japanese airspace not only severely violated Japanese sovereignty but also posed a threat to their security.
Hayashi stated that the government would continue to monitor the increasing military activities of China near Japan and be fully prepared for any airspace violations, while refraining from commenting on the specifics of upcoming diplomatic talks between China and Japan.
According to Japanese officials, on Monday morning, a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance aircraft flew over the Danjo Islands west of southern Kyushu for about two minutes.
This marks the first confirmed instance of a Chinese military aircraft violating Japanese airspace since Japan’s Self-Defense Forces began taking measures to counter such actions in 1958.
A spokesperson for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) told Diplomat that in a larger-than-usual response, JASDF scrambled at least four fighter jets, including F-2s and F-15s from the Western Defense Force at the Kasuga Base in Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu.
The Y-9 is a medium-sized military transport aircraft developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) subsidiary, Shaanxi Aircraft Industry Corporation. It is believed that the aircraft intruding into Japanese airspace was a variant called Y-9JB, equipped with radio interception and electronic warfare equipment.
According to Japanese military sources, between April 2023 and March 2024, fighter jets were scrambled by Japan nearly 669 times, with about 70% of those instances targeting Chinese military aircraft, not including airspace violations.
NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster, reported that in addition to military aircraft, Chinese State Oceanic Administration aircraft and Chinese Coast Guard drones breached Japanese airspace in 2012 and 2017, respectively.
Diplomat reported that the first intrusion of Chinese military aircraft into Japanese airspace has shocked Japan’s Ministry of Defense and Self-Defense Forces. The incursion occurred as the Defense Ministry has been steadily strengthening defense posture on remote islands, extending from Kyushu southwest towards the Nansei Islands, reaching Taiwan.
The report highlighted that historically, the first intrusion of Chinese military aircraft into Japanese airspace indicates China’s shifting focus from land power to sea power, posing threats to neighboring countries like Japan and the Philippines. Japan needs to collaborate with partners such as the United States, Australia, the Philippines, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and France, while increasing vigilance against such activities.