On August 26, 2023, a Chinese military aircraft, specifically a Y-9 spy plane, made a significant incursion into Japanese airspace, prompting a swift response from Japan's Ministry of Defense. The incident occurred off the Danjo Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture, where the aircraft violated Japan's territorial airspace for approximately two minutes at 11:29 a.m. local time. This event has been characterized as a serious violation of Japan's sovereignty, raising concerns about regional security and escalating tensions between the two nations.
Japanese government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi condemned the violation, stating that it poses a threat to Japan's security and is completely unacceptable. He noted that this was the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft since Japan implemented countermeasures against such activities. In response, Japan deployed emergency fighter planes to monitor the situation and ensure vigilant surveillance of China's military operations in the region.
In light of the incident, Japan's Deputy Foreign Minister Masataka Okano summoned China's acting ambassador to express a firm protest and called for measures to prevent future violations. Meanwhile, Chinese officials, including spokesperson Lin Jian, have stated that they are investigating the incident and emphasized that China has no intention of invading the airspace of any country. This situation adds to the backdrop of ongoing tensions in the East China Sea, particularly surrounding the disputed Senkaku Islands, which have historically been a flashpoint for maritime confrontations between Japanese and Chinese vessels.
